Where do you live? And why?

I am curious over the location of THR members and if it shows a trend. I will start. My parents moved to upstate NY when I was 6, ended up in Buffalo in 1972 where I graduated HS 1974. I hung around, always wanting to go West till 1995 when I put my tools in the back of my trunk [I'm a mechanic] and left alone for Alaska. Did not know anyone here, no real idea if I would be able to find a job. And here I still am.

Why Alaska? Well I think anyone on this forum will understand.

If you enjoyed reading about "Where do you live? And why?" here in TheHighRoad.org archive, you'll LOVE our community. Come join TheHighRoad.org today for the full version!

MrValentine

July 28, 2012, 12:47 AM

I live in northern California because my parents moved here when I was a child. One day, I will leave.

OARNGESI

July 28, 2012, 12:50 AM

az been here all my life

TennJed

July 28, 2012, 12:53 AM

Born and raised in central Mississippi. Now live in the outskirts of Memphis, TN in north Mississippi.

Why, cause there ain't no place i'd rather be. :)

The best food, the best music, the best football, the prettiest women, the best authors, and the gun laws ain't bad.

It is rather hot down here, this time of year though

jim in Anchorage

July 28, 2012, 12:54 AM

I live in northern California because my parents moved here when I was a child. One day, I will leave.
Don't say one day. Just go. I kept making excuses and wasted years in a place I didn't want to live in.

Skribs

July 28, 2012, 01:09 AM

I live within 3.5 miles of the 2 houses I grew up in. I don't plan on moving much farther from home.

hemiram

July 28, 2012, 01:10 AM

I was born here in NW Ohio, moved out West to Las Vegas for 7 years. It was fun in a lot of ways, but I got tired of the tan everything, the heat, and the bad air, so I came back. Toledo and this area has a lot of problems, but there are a lot of great things in this area. I can get to anywhere I would want to go in 20 minutes, the weather is better than most of the rest of this region, and I have no reason to go anywhere else for more than a visit. If only I could get Chinese food at 3 or 4 AM like Vegas, I would be totally satisfied.

Hossfly68

July 28, 2012, 01:24 AM

Born in Memphis. Lived in N.E. Ms, Charlotte NC, Nashville and now L.A.--- that's Lower Alabama, not Lost Angeles. Lived in Nashville for 11 years before the alternative weirdness and a useless boss got to me. Loaded up a U-Haul and headed south. I found a wife here so I stayed, but there are days when I wish I'd followed my plan and moved to Vanuatu...

25cschaefer

July 28, 2012, 01:31 AM

I've lived in AR, MI, WY, KS, SC, GA, South Korea, NC, Iraq, MT, and now CO. I am in Colorado now for school but will, hopefully, be moving back to MT because; there are vast tracts of public land, low population density, property is relatively cheap, the weather is nice all year (in the western part of the state), and no sales tax.

Eric M

July 28, 2012, 01:32 AM

NJ, born here, waiting to get the hell out.

gbran

July 28, 2012, 01:34 AM

Born in KS, moved to CA. Everybody said we were crazy to move to earthquake country, but I sure didn't mind leaving the tornados behind. Have been in central CA (Kern County) since 1975. I love it here about 9 months out of the year.

Kern county is conservative and nearly "shall issue" for ccw permits. Lots of hunting nearby. Not too far from the ocean, mountains closer.

shiftyer1

July 28, 2012, 01:34 AM

I grew up in Minnesota.....was in the middle of a crazy divorce....an oppertunity appeared to run and i've been in central Texas since the end of 1999. Was always going to move to the mountains of wyoming or colorado.......haven't made it out there to live......yet. I still want the mountains but with a warmer winter.

NorthBorder

July 28, 2012, 02:22 AM

25Cschaefer I hear ya. Born in Texas, lived around the country and ended up in Colorado for about 25 years. Came to visit NW Montana in 2000. When we were driving around at 10:30 p.m. and it was still light out, i was hooked. Went back to Colo and told my boss I am retiring in 1 year. lived here 11 years and no regrets.

Swichblade

July 28, 2012, 02:22 AM

I currently live in Wyoming because my father took a job here. Two years ago we moved to Louisiana, we hated it, so we all said yes when my father came home with news of an opening here. I was born and raised in North Dakota, though, and I would like to move back there after a few years of college, provided the crime rate doesn't further increase.

rspeters

July 28, 2012, 02:35 AM

I'm in AZ, I've more or less lived there my whole life. I love the gun laws, and the desert is not bad (although I'd rather be somewhere with forest), the heat sucks and I hate it, put it's really only unbearable a few months out of the there. I don't like the crime, and i don't like being so close to the border.

cyclopsshooter

July 28, 2012, 02:38 AM

PNW, good weather, good gun laws, fewer people, it is home

chrt396

July 28, 2012, 02:46 AM

Born and raised in central Mississippi. Now live in the outskirts of Memphis, TN in north Mississippi.

Why, cause there ain't no place i'd rather be. :)

The best food, the best music, the best football, the prettiest women, the best authors, and the gun laws ain't bad.

It is rather hot down here, this time of year though
I'd LOVE to live up there!! Every time I go to that area of the country, I'l always impressed by the people. There are always a few that show a bad example..but the majority are respectful. polite, kind, appreciative...and YES..the women ARE pretty!!!

chrt396

July 28, 2012, 02:47 AM

NJ, born here, waiting to get the hell out.
That was funny!! Trapped!!!!!

MachIVshooter

July 28, 2012, 03:31 AM

Colorado native here. Born in Denver, spent my first 10 years between my mom's Aurora home and my Dad's Gunbarrel (outskirts of Boulder) residence. Moved to Big Fork, MT for a very short time with dad in 1993, and it's a story I don't wish to elaborate on, but after his death, ended up in Parker, CO, with mom where I spent the rest of my youth. In 2004 at age 22, bought my home in unincorporated Elbert county and have been here ever since.

MT and AK have a definite appeal, but I like the arid climate and year-round sunshine of CO. The Eastern plains of CO are my home, and Elbert county is one great place to live a placid life and raise a family. This state is also a paradigm of the outdoors life.

I may leave if this state ever becomes too infested with socialist liberals and our freedoms get legislated away. But despite a relatively large portion of the population being of the other political persuasion, there is a very strong spirit of independence and personal freedom among Coloradoans that has really limited the kind of legislation that is rampant in the North-East and **********. In point of fact, I believe the majority of registered voters in this state are still "Independents".

jaytex1969

July 28, 2012, 03:45 AM

Hatched and reared in Baltimore, MD.

Ran like Bruce Jenner to the army recruiter at age 17.

Spent 7 years at Camp Swampy (SE Georgia), with a side trip to Iraq,

Returned to Baltimore for 8 months after service.

Ran off to Portland, OR with a young woman.

Two years later, parted ways with young woman, remembered someone braggin' about how great Austin, TX was, so headed there.

Been there now 15 years. Great place to live if you never have to leave the house between 3-7pm, when the entire city is a gridlocked incinerator.

Fair price to pay for not owning a snow shovel and year round motorcycling...

TennJed

July 28, 2012, 04:00 AM

I'd LOVE to live up there!! Every time I go to that area of the country, I'l always impressed by the people. There are always a few that show a bad example..but the majority are respectful. polite, kind, appreciative...and YES..the women ARE pretty!!!
Thanks. Sometimes we get shown in an unfair light, but the vast majority of the people here are great. Never been to Tampa, but have been to many other parts of Florida and love it all

And I forgot to mention in my previous post, that this is an outdoor paradise. The appalachians are right down the road to the east. The Gulf of Mexico is right down the road to the south. And the best freshwater fishing in the COUNTRY is next door in Arkansas

jim in Anchorage

July 28, 2012, 04:20 AM

Wow this thread is even more fascinating than I hoped. Up front mods please don't lock it . I know little gun talk, but what is it hurting?
I think anyone on THR is a gun crank, a bro, and their story's fit with the THR mission.

Rob0321

July 28, 2012, 05:08 AM

I grew up in upstate NY, left in 2001 to travel the world at the governments expense. On my way to Colorado because I managed to convince the USMC that they should send me to college for a couple of years. In between traveling all over the world I was mostly station in CA. I don't like CA.

kyletx1911

July 28, 2012, 06:38 AM

Born in kcmo raised in same, hooked up with uncle sugar in78. Back to kc in 82
Started to get myself in a bind after bind. After my last little run with the law!!! Could have gotten 5-15 in the kansas pen. I woke up and the judge looked at me and said mr j i see that you have work in texas
Yes ma"am 1yr unsupervised probation court cost
Never to return but to visit!! Go get right!!
Brother sold his car for 500.00 moved to austin tx
Found my wife from kyle tx been here ever since 1997
Why the move? Dead or in prison!!!

Btw called to pay my fine no fine on the books misdemenor charge dropped now on the path of being a productive american(thank you jesus and judge)
I have my chl loving wife grandson girls!!!!
I win gotta love KYLE TX

Pete D.

July 28, 2012, 06:46 AM

Born in St. Vincent's Hospital in Greenwich Village, NYC. Grew up on Long Island, NY. Lived and worked there until 1980. Then, for work related reasons, I moved with my family to Brooklyn, NY. I have lived there since.
In 1995, we purchased a few acres in rural PA and built a second home there. nowadays (I am retired) I divide my time between the two homes.
Despite the many criticisms of NYC, I much enjoy living in Brooklyn (fuggedaboudit!). It is very different than the woodsy, outdoor life a half mile from the Allegheny Front in PA.....a different set of satisfactions. In PA, anything I need to patronize is at least six miles away. In Brooklyn, within a five minute walk, there are at least thirty restaurants, two movie theaters, three supermarkets, a couple of very fine butchers, fresh fish, a brand new, clean, park along the East River, a hospital, and a pistol range in a gun club dating back to 1934. I have had no problem acquiring any gun that I wanted to own while living in NYC. Yes, it does take time and patience and it is expensive compared to PA. Fortunately, I have both of those.
Pete

Nicky Santoro

July 28, 2012, 07:33 AM

Born and raised in NJ. Never cared much for it but you build a life, a family, and a business and it's not so easy to move. Now that I'm semi-retired, I'd like to move but my daughter, son-in-law, and new granddaughter live less than a half mile away and I'm not about to move away from them. If my SIL's work moved them to a free state I'd be gone in an instant.

FROGO207

July 28, 2012, 07:33 AM

Born and raised here in rural Maine. Came from a family of shooters that are RKBA positive. I was shooting at squirrels in the back yard with a 30 M1 Carbine at age 4 (with a little help:D). Now I live about 60 miles from there on Mount Desert Island. This IS paradise--great weather with four seasons, lots of things to do and the summer is full of drop dead gorgeous females of all ages that seem to want to shoot my firearms with me. If I live through the wild, busy summer I will put some eye candy on here that I ended up out shooting with.:D Lots of foreign students here for waitress jobs and 20 something wanderers with well to do parents. I LOVE to get them going on the road to firearms ownership.

303tom

July 28, 2012, 09:26 AM

Been all over the world, always came back here ! Why, because it is the greatest state in the union.................

Robert

July 28, 2012, 09:29 AM

Edit:
After talking it over with Justin he reminded me that we have Rallying Point for topics just such as this. I apologize for not remembering that sooner and for not moving the thread rather than locking it.
Thanks,
Robert

Athrok

July 31, 2012, 12:07 AM

Virginia. Have been lucky to travel. When I find a place I (and my better half) want to be more I'll move.

Puerto Rico is a close second.

Bobson

July 31, 2012, 02:09 AM

I grew up in the PNW, but partly because of the military, and partly because law enforcement is ridiculously difficult to get into these days, I spent most of my adult life in the desert. Between Las Vegas and central Arizona, I could leave the Southwest tomorrow, never return, and die happy.

Working on employment in LE outside the lower 48, which will start in February if I make it. If I don't, I'm gonna have to figure something else out, because I would really prefer to not put up with another Summer here.

Mr.357Sig

July 31, 2012, 02:24 AM

Army brat, so I've been around. Ended up in Oklahoma when my dad went to the Reserves after Vietnam. Graduated HS and college here. Met my wife and had our kids here.

Have a great church home and dad lives within a few hours. If it weren't for the unbearable summers here, I'd probably never consider leaving.

BullFrawg

July 31, 2012, 02:31 AM

Illinois since I was 13, but next year I'm heading out west :D hopefully Wyoming.

C0untZer0

July 31, 2012, 08:49 AM

Born in Chicago.

My girlfriend - soon to be fiance lived in Chicago suburns and her job was at O'Hare airport. Illinois State Veteran's Scholarship, along with VEAP allowed me to go to Illinois state schools and completely covered my education. So those were two reasons I came back to Illinois after the Army.

I've worked for Chicago-based Fortune 500 companies since college.

I have heard diatribes from people who claim that people who live in Illinois value the rich restaraunt culture, sports teams, museums and entertainment more than they value their Second Amendment rights. And those people advocate an exodus out of Illinois as the only way to deal with the anti-2A politics.

Illinois is one of the most politicaly corrupt states (if not THE most politicaly corrupt), and the democratic process is completely subverted by the structure and rules of the Illinois General Assembly, which is controlled by the corrupt Chicago political machine. This is how 99% of the state is controlled by 1% of the state, this why Illinois is the only state not to have a CCW law despite the fact that a majority of citizens - even a majority of citizens in Chicago and Cook County - favor concealed carry. And this is why Chicago and Illinois is at the forefront of much of the 2A judiciary proceedings. The state is ruled by anti-gun demagogues who, because of the corrupt political system, have political immunity from their actions.

I have children now in the school system and aging parents who need my help, and I simply cannot move out of state.

On IllinoisCarry and TheFiring Line - I heard from a lot of people who would rant that leaving Illinois was the only way to teach the corrupt politicians a lesson. I've been fighting for gun rights in Illinois since 1987. For many years the battle was about stopping even stricter laws from being enacted. But slowly, the tide has turned and instead of simply being on the defensive - we were able to introduce pro-2A laws.

McDonald made a huge difference. We re-introduced a CCW bill this year but lost again when the Speaker of the House Michael Madigan tied the legislation up in rules committee and prevented it from coming to a vote.

The combined cases of Moore & Shepard are currently before the 7th Circuit and we are hoping for a favorable ruling before August 9th.

I really can't move out of Illinois, but I don't think I would anyway.

I don't know how many more guns I could have purchased with the amount of money I've given to political candidates running against the anti-gunners in this state, or how much more ammo I could have purchased. Besides McDonald, I've been on the losing side of this battle for 15 years but we are going to win this fight.

JohnD13

July 31, 2012, 08:54 AM

Born and raised in NY. Still here, I can't afford the exit tax!

JoeMal

July 31, 2012, 09:11 AM

I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as soon as I could. Moved here for the stable economy, job opportunities, and the weather.

Sky

July 31, 2012, 09:22 AM

Only listing where I have stayed at least a year. TX, Okla., Alabama, S.E. Asia, Alabama, S.E Asia, Va., TX. Saudi, Okla., TX. and now split my time between S.TX. and S.E. Asia. If I ever sell my U.S. house I will stay at the farm in Asia sell all my guns in the states and probably be cremated with my ashes spread for fertilizer or fill dirt at the farm. Sounds good to me.

bikerdoc

July 31, 2012, 09:28 AM

Born in West Virginia. Raised in Mass. Went into the Army right after HS, came back after Viet Nam with the full intent of moving to Georgia, took the police exam and stayed for 22 more years. My second wife is from Virginia. I visited her family, fell in love with area and moved.
Very gun friendly, low cost of living, and good people.

MtnCreek

July 31, 2012, 11:42 AM

Nevermind.

A strange person

July 31, 2012, 12:53 PM

I live in northern New England because this is my perfect habitat.

First of all, it is the only type of physical environment I am capable of surviving in; it is cold for most of the year, and very dim due to forest cover. These are important to me because I have severe reverse seasonal depressive disorder (summer onset, supposedly very rare), agoraphobia, and am allergic to the sun.

Second, it is very sparsely populated. I hate crowds, and I ESPECIALLY hate cities. The greatest scene in film history was from the beginning of the recent "I am Legend", where there is presented a panoramic view of a future New York City, long devoid of human life, crumbling, and slowly being reclaimed by nature. If I cannot fill my enormous daily quota of silence and solitude in natural surroundings, I can literally have (and have had) psychotic episodes.

Third, the rugged, mountainous, densely forested terrain is the prefect place to employ my preferred close-range hunting style. I have ZERO tolerance for boredom, so I cannot sit and wait for game to walk in front of me, as many hunters today do. I would likely die of blood loss from nail biting if I did. I have to practice stalking and concealment, and the cover given to me by the forest is key to my success, as it is for other creature of a similar persuasion.
Also, the poor visibility here (on this whole side of the continent, actually), precludes the possibility of seeing any sort of game beyond 80 yards or so, meaning that I can use shotguns, handguns, and pistol-caliber carbines for ALL of my needs if I so choose (and I do), and enjoy their unique advantages. I take a kind of idiosyncratic pride in the fact that I couldn't care less about the entire genre of post WWI bottle-necked rifle cartridges that dominate the hunting and shooting world today.

Oh yeah, NH, VT, and ME also happen to be some of the gun-friendliest states in the country. It's true, and makes this post somewhat relevant to this site.

tuj

July 31, 2012, 01:42 PM

Moved to Houston, TX for work purposes. Energy capital of the US.

Snag

July 31, 2012, 01:50 PM

I was born in Weaverville California and raised up the road a bit in Coffee Creek. Sixth generation in a row to be born in Trinity County. I left right after high school and stayed away for almost two decades before returning. While I was away I lived in a few different states including Colorado, Virginia, and Washington.

I returned to Weaverville because it suits me. There are not many places that do, suit me that is.

Number one has to do with just the way I am. I don't care for people, concrete, swimming pools, flat land, stop lights, roads with more than two lanes, or giving my location by address. I like canyons, creeks, granite, trout, bald eagles, dirt and giving my location as just "up river".

Number two is the climate. I get four seasons, each one very different from the other and I love every single one. Winter I get to have a white Christmas, play in the snow, and try to catch a Steelhead before I freeze to death. Spring I get to see the snow melt, the rivers fill, the lake rise, and the animals come back out to play. Summer I get 105 and sometimes higher temp levels with 30% humidity. I love it. I swim, catch fish, camp, hike, shoot, nap, and as a bonus I get a nice tan. Fall rolls around and colors change, the tourist go home, things slow down, and that's about the time I just feel damn lucky to live where I do and love where I live.

I could of course do without the ridiculous gun laws California has chosen to employ, but I could absolutely not do without California.

Jonah71

July 31, 2012, 01:57 PM

Been all over the world, always came back here ! Why, because it is the greatest state in the union.................
I moved back to a small town in West Central Mo. (3000 pop) about 25 mi. from where I gradated from HS. (pop. 150) It's very peaceful and friendly with a lot of places to fish and way too many deer. I plan on being here until they plant me. The church is really like an extended family, so I'd be crazy to leave.

floorit76

July 31, 2012, 02:04 PM

Central IL. Both sides of my family have been here since the 1860s. I live in one of the original family homes. The main basement beams in the "old" part of the house are hand hewn. I have found places under the wallpaper that were signed and dated by family members from 80 years ago. We can document that we have owned the same farm ground back to the 1870s so both families have state issued "centenial farm" signs in the yard. Mine came in 1972. Gun laws down state are nowhere near as bad as you have heard.

Yelovitz_503

July 31, 2012, 04:26 PM

Born and raised in Portland Oregon, although I lived in southern VT for a year. In spite of how weird and 'hippy' this state is it has decent gun laws. I'm not wild about the political climate of Oregon (it's a bunch of bleeding heart liberals in Portland, and we have the most worthless city government in the whole country) but I do like the actual climate. I love the rain and our mild summers, plus my family and my wife's family both live in the greater Portland area. If I were to move to another state gun laws would be one of the first things I'd look at.

BullFrawg

July 31, 2012, 04:41 PM

Gun laws down state are nowhere near as bad as you have heard.

Except that my gun has to be unloaded and out of reach in my car, and I can't carry anywhere for any reason except my own property, and I have to get a permit to own anything :p

Born and raised in SoCal. Then Arkansas, Arizona and now Texas. I've been lucky to love all the areas I've lived in. However North West Arkansas and North Texas have been my favorite.

472x1A/B

July 31, 2012, 10:43 PM

Born in Aledo Illinois. Grew up on an 80 acre farm in the 50's. Did my 20 in the Air Force, June 70-July90. Have lived in No. Carolina,Thailand,New Mexico,Alaska (x'3),Nevada,Phillipines,Eniwetak,Idaho,Florida,California, and now Ill.. Moved here when discharged from A.F. stationed in Calif.. Jumped out of the pan into the fire by living here now. Couldn't stand living in Calif., nothing in miles only in minutes or hours from point A to B ??????? Too many nuts and fruits for me. Sooo that's why I'm stuck here, (no money to move).

Ohio Gun Guy

August 1, 2012, 01:36 AM

I live in O-H-I-O......

Because it's not Michigan.... :eek:

(Just warming up, it's almost Football Season)
;););););)

Mudntexas

August 1, 2012, 01:48 AM

The great state of Texas

FenderTK421

August 1, 2012, 04:05 AM

Born in Palm Springs, California. Alive in Anchorage, Alaska :D

toivo

August 1, 2012, 04:17 AM

Born in the UP of Michigan, moved with my family to New York State when I was eight -- my father got a new job and off we went. I've been here ever since, except for eight years spent abroad and three spent in New York City.

Why do I stay? I live in the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains area, which is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been.

I grew up here. I have a job that I like. I know a lot of people here. My aged parents are here: they won't be around forever, and they aren't about to up and move.

Sure, New York has some crappy laws, but I have learned to live with them. I have a full carry permit -- I live in a "will probably issue" county. I shoot two or three times a week. If I want large-capacity magazines, I have to pay extra for pre-bans. I can cope. I even appreciate a trip to NY City every once in a while. I go about twice a year, which is enough, IMO.

No, I think I'm staying put. If I ever did leave, I would probably go to Vermont. Been there; liked it. It's a lot like here, except colder and with better laws. ;)

1911Tuner

August 1, 2012, 10:56 AM

In the central part of a central county in North Carolina, in middle of a private dirt and gravel road...one of three houses on it...that dead-ends into a pasture. 100 yards from the main road, the dogs let me know that somebody is coming before their rear wheels leave the pavement.

Why? Because I like it.

Loyalist Dave

August 1, 2012, 11:19 AM

I grew up here in the People's Republic of Maryland, though I was born in California..., I am here because it was home..., I am still here because I can't afford to escape to Virginia or West Virginia, or maybe Pennsylvania ...., yet. :fire:

LD

LNK

August 1, 2012, 11:48 AM

Moving to Eastern TN, in 4 years, 10 Months and 19 days for good. Bought a house, and am leaving the Peoples Republic of MA. Letting the kids graduate High School, then moving. Will be visiting my home next week.

LNK

mljdeckard

August 1, 2012, 11:51 AM

Utah, except for 4-5 years I spent in Europe, a year in Iraq, and 15 months on orders in Monterey.

I don't have any plans or desire to live anywhere else. I've lived from one end of this state to the other, it's everything I need and want.

kimbershot

August 1, 2012, 01:00 PM

moved to sc from ct in 12/11. everything is cheaper here and weather is better (yes it's hot in the summer-the air conditioning works great). more liberal attitudes about gun ownership and many have concealed permits. got my sc permit and am awaiting fl. permit.:)

Beach Nut

August 1, 2012, 01:06 PM

I was born in Wake County, North Carolina and I still live there. Things
have changed a lot since my childhood that was mostly spent on a
small farm in my home county. Small farms and the rural enviroment
that once surrounded Raleigh are things of the past and so many new
people have moved here. I work in Wake County so I'll probably hang
on here for the next few years. Wake County is still a decent place
to live for the most part, but the increased traffic and congestion is
starting to wear on my nerves a bit. I have been looking at land in
more rural areas in neighboring counties, areas where the people still
speak with a Southern accent and the pace of life is slower. North
Carolina is a great state to have been raised and to live in but I might
have to think about another Southern state when I retire if people
keep pouring in. I have nothing against the transplants who have moved
here but some people just need more elbow room and less excitement
than others. With all of the people moving South from the Northeast,
I'm surprised there is anyone still left up there. Of course with the
draconian gun laws and insane taxes state governments want to impose
up there, I don't blame the public for fleeing to better enviroments.

P5 Guy

August 1, 2012, 06:14 PM

Raised in South Jersey and moved to Florida because my NJ job went away.
In retrospect leaving NJ was the single best thing I ever did.

jim in Anchorage

August 2, 2012, 03:38 AM

In the central part of a central county in North Carolina, in middle of a private dirt and gravel road...one of three houses on it...that dead-ends into a pasture. 100 yards from the main road, the dogs let me know that somebody is coming before their rear wheels leave the pavement.

Why? Because I like it.
Don't think the why is necessary. I think it sounds very cool.

RugerBob

August 2, 2012, 10:27 AM

Met my wife while I was in Texas and she moved me to Maine.

DAP90

August 2, 2012, 10:39 AM

Born and raised in Connecticut. Spent my first 22 years there and on a whim one day packed up my car and headed for Colorado;ending up in Boulder. I’ve been in Colorado for 18 years.

It was the mountains and great outdoors that attracted me to Colorado and they didn't disappoint. For work I ended up moving out of Boulder to a suburb of Denver, which is my only regret about living here. I dislike Denver.

I have a 5 year plan to get out of Denver but unfortunately, it’s going to take about that long unless I get lucky.

Reloadron

August 2, 2012, 12:42 PM

I was born in a log cabin which I helped my father build! :)

Born in 1950 at the Adelphia Hospital in Brooklyn NY and actually delivered by my grandfather an old Brooklyn NY doctor. Grew up in the Park Slope (Prospect Park West) section and later on LI in Uniondale.

Eventually ended up in the Marines facing the draft. Came out of Nam in '72 and was assigned recruiting duty in Cleveland, Ohio. Every time I left Cleveland I ended up back here, go figure.

Will retire in a few years and have yet to figure out what we want to do. I still get back to NY every year for a party on the beach with friends and yes, the food is great!

Clueless in Cleveland
Ron

krupparms

August 2, 2012, 12:58 PM

Air Force brat. Born at Casablanca Morrocco moved to U.S. at 2 &lived in about 12-14 states before dad retired & moved to Tennessee. I went into USAF &did some traveling with them. After discharge went back to Tennessee, then to Oregon because of climate & MT.s It was a nice state when I moved here, but things are getting dangerous here now! Hoping to ride it out! This is still a great state.

wyohome

August 2, 2012, 01:58 PM

Lived in Washington state, then liberal Oregon, now in northern Wyoming. Every place has value, this is a good place to shoot and not be taxed to death or crowded.

bergmen

August 20, 2012, 05:23 PM

I could of course do without the ridiculous gun laws California has chosen to employ, but I could absolutely not do without California.

Those are my feelings exactly.

Born in southern California in 1949 and lived there until 1958 when my Dad (in a stroke of genius) moved all six of us to Japan for four years (worked for Lockheed). None of us in the family liked SoCal (smog, congestion, people, etc.) and my Dad was able to have us settle in northern California upon our return (Santa Clara Valley) since he landed a job at Lockheed Missles and Space Company in Sunnyvale.

At that time, Santa Clara Valley was utopia. Small towns seperated by huge orchards of apricots, peaches, cherries and plums. Perfect weather, great location (1 hour south of San Francisco). A great place to grow up before they paved it all over with shopping malls, freeways and home tracts on every square foot of available land. I escaped in 1988 to the Central Valley for 8 years and commuted to the Bay Area.

I ended up in Ukiah in 2001 on a small farm just on the outskirts of town. It is hot here in the summer but we love it. Clear air, no street lights or anything to dim the billions of stars seen everynight. My three adult kids are leasing a house in town about 15 minutes away and we are constantly planning and doing things together. We are blessed by many unscheduled drop-in visits and they make our day. Anywhere north or west from here is sparsely populated beautiful country + the coast is to die for.

We live in a "shall issue" county and we have probably the best county sheriff's office in the state. Tom Allman is a personal friend of mine and a great person as well as top notch LEO. We have the huge Mendocino National Forest just north of us, lakes and rivers all around us, large BLM land just east of us. Great place to be an outdoorsman. The motorcycling doesn't get any better than this.

The rest of the world just doesn't realize that the best of California (95%) is NOT in San Francisco, Los Angeles or Sacramento. I wouldn't live anywhere else on earth.

Dan

westy39

August 20, 2012, 07:03 PM

I am in the Big Sky Country, Montana. My Grandparents homesteaded in the eastern part of Montana in the early 1900's. I was born and raised in Montana, it isn't called the Big Sky Country for nothing. If any of you ever get the chance take a trip up Beartooth pass or visit Glacier National Park or even Yellowstone park and you will see why I love living, working, hunting, fishing and raising my kids in Montana. We still have problems but the farther from the flag pole you are the better life is. Just my thoughts, keep your head down and your powder dry.

Sgt_R

August 20, 2012, 08:03 PM

I am originally from WA. In the past, I have lived in OR, TX, MS, MD, and OH, and I have spent a fair amount of time in at least a dozen other states. I have traveled as far north as Seattle and as far south as Miami.

I currently live in SC, partially because I was offered a good job here, but mostly because I like the weather.

R

TimboKhan

August 20, 2012, 10:35 PM

Born and raised in Northern Colorado, and I doubt seriously that I will ever leave here again. In the USMC I lived in SoCal and Japan among other places, and while I like going different places, the fact is that this is home for me. I miss it when I am not here, and I feel a connection to this area.

browningguy

August 21, 2012, 12:24 AM

Houston of course, it's where the money is, and a really cheap place to live.

Sobel

August 21, 2012, 01:36 AM

Born in Upstate NY moved to Florida in my senior year of high school because my mom wanted more vitamin D. Luckily I can own guns here or else there would be absolutely nothing good about this place.

jim in Anchorage

August 21, 2012, 09:02 AM

With out bragging since I started it, this is a great thread. Love your stories.

smalls

August 21, 2012, 12:33 PM

Lived between Windsor and Chatham, Ontario till I was about 3 or 4. Mum got remarried to an American, so we hopped on over to the States. Been living in the Metro Detroit area ever since, but spent plenty of summers back up in Canada with my dad.

I'd like to move, maybe to Texas, Florida, or SC, but my wife's pretty strongly rooted here, and has no desire to move more than 5 miles away from her folks.

sidheshooter

August 21, 2012, 04:35 PM

PNW, good weather, good gun laws, fewer people, it is home

^^^This, but I'd personally replace "good weather" with "good people and places". :)

I'm typing within 100 miles of where I was born and raised, but that has a whole lot more to do with my dad's excellent reasons for settling here than any missing sense of adventure on my part. He had good taste in places to live, IMO.

justice06rr

August 21, 2012, 10:51 PM

Born in Upstate NY moved to Florida in my senior year of high school because my mom wanted more vitamin D. Luckily I can own guns here or else there would be absolutely nothing good about this place.

There are quite a few good things in FL, if you are open-minded.

Tourism, proximity to beaches, cheap cost of living, etc. As you may guess i'm in the same city as you.

We have very good/lenient gun laws thats for sure. That is enough to keep me away from California and NYC although I've always wanted to live there.

Old Dog

August 21, 2012, 11:33 PM

West Puget Sound. Ended up here at the end of my military career (did more'n a quarter-century on active duty, got in some combat deployments to the Mesopotamian region), segued into a bit of law enforcement activity (continuing my MP and reserve PD/SO gigs) after Uncle Sam let me go ...

I love Washington state. Nope, we can't have full-auto, but we just got supressors, the rest of the gun laws are good, no duty to retreat and all that -- we shoot home invaders here on a regular basis -- the mountains, the water, the scenery, we got desert on the other side of the hills ... mild weather ... skiing, whitewater rafting, mosquitos ain't bad anywhere ... Only problem we got is Seattle and the King County politicians. After more'n a decade of exile in California, this is paradise.

Pit4Brains

August 22, 2012, 12:46 AM

Arizona
I didn't make this video but it fits the bill.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7xedmvJTzk

If you have never been here before, don't bother. It's tooo hot even though it's a dry heat...

ZGunner

August 22, 2012, 06:46 AM

Georgia, I've been stationed here since 2007. Originally from Wisconsin, will never go back to live, there's just nothing there for me.

I'd like to get out to the Black Hills area. My family used to take summer vacations out there and I just fell in love with it. Now if I can only get orders to Ellsworth...

Wylie1

August 22, 2012, 09:37 AM

Shoshone Idaho, <deleted>

jrdolall

August 22, 2012, 10:24 AM

I have lived in 13 states at one time or another. Grew up in Alabama and Georgia. College at University of Alabama(BA), moved to Florida after school. Texas, California, Tennessee, Michigan, Arkansas, Oregon, Massachusetts, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Montana for work reasons. Several of these were for only about three months and then moved to the next assignment so I never really put down roots in many of these states. I finally bought into the company and moved back to Georgia where I lived until we sold the company:)
I found the land I wanted in rural Alabama and moved back here in 1997. I have spent time in all 48 continental states and every one of them has both good and bad. Alabama is too darned hot but fairly rural and conservative. We also have long a long deer season with lots of deer and liberal bag limits not to mention fishing, turkey, etc. FL is probably my least favorite as far as living there full time. Hot and crowded all year long. When the last of my kids get out of school I may consider moving back to Montana or possibly Wyoming assuming I can get a good price on my land.

ZeSpectre

August 22, 2012, 10:27 AM

Another rural upstate NY native here. Graduated college and flipped open a map of the east coast of the US, closed my eyes, slammed my finger down and announced to my Mother that I was moving to Bowie, MD.

Damn near gave her a heart attack.

I lived in Bowie for about a month and didn't much like it but a college buddy was down in Alexandria, VA and visiting showed me that it was probably where I wanted to be.

I spent 20 years in that area (Northern Virginia) working mostly for the Feds, got married, etc. During that career I had the opportunity to visit (sometimes very briefly) about 39 of the 50 states and got a good feel for what other parts of the USA are like.

One day after some very frustrating house hunting my wife and I said "this area sucks for trying to buy a house, we gotta get outta here!" so we started looking at other parts of Va and NC (and a little bit of PA).

Two months later job offers came down the pike and we moved to the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia.

jrdolall

August 22, 2012, 10:29 AM

If any of you ever get the chance take a trip up Beartooth pass or visit Glacier National Park or even Yellowstone park and you will see why I love living, working, hunting, fishing and raising my kids in Montana
We drive through Red Lodge every year, over the Beartooths(or is it Bearteeth) and into Yellowstone. The lakes on the pass still have ice on them in mid June and the scenery is outstanding. I don't know if I can handle Montana in january but I may give it a try in a few years. I will be there in October on an Elk hunt in the Helena area.

BadWool

August 22, 2012, 11:54 AM

I was born at Offutt AFB, just outside of Omaha NE.

First conscious memories are while we were living/stationed at Torejon AFB, Madrid Spain. This was during the time of Franco (the last Fascist dictator), who I apparently saw during some of the military parades held in downtown Madrid. All I remember were the bull fights, swimming in the Med, and the fun of living in base housing.

In 1973 we returned stateside to Offutt AFB again, where I attended my first American school. While in Spain I had attended a montessori school of some sort, so I skipped kindergarten and 1st grade when we returned to the US. Had a "girlfriend" in 2nd grade at Avery Elementary school in Bellevue NE, Linnie Lockwood.......then there was Dana Turner in 3rd grade at Belleaire Elementary School ............I don't know why I still remember their names, but in reflection I can see early development of my man-whoreness.

In 1975 we headed out again, this time to Okinawa. Anybody have a time/place in their childhood where all the magic happened and if you could go back and never leave you would? That was Okinawa for me, I had so much fun there. I was forbiddened to be in the boonies because of all the Habus (snakes) and unexploded ordinance left over from WWII. Soooooooo, there was hardly a day you would not find me in the boonies exploring the bunkers and caves the Japanese used to defend the island. I also saw Jaws while on Okinawa, didn't care for the beach after that movie night..........

In 1978 Uncle Sam dropped us in Suckramento CA, stationed at McClellan AFB. It was here that my dad eventually retired and where I graduated from HS and college. Aside from a stint in the US Army, I remained in CA near my parents. Eventually met THE woman, started having kids, bought a house, got married (in that order). As the years passed we were becoming more and more hostages than residents, and hating every moment of existence because of the one party government that dominates California.

After my mom passed away in 2003 I convinced my dad to move to VA in 2007, where he owned property he inherited from my grandmother. All the while my wife and I began plotting to move away ourselves, setting our sights around Lexington KY. Unfortunately the job market in Lexington isn't worth spit.......unless you are a farmer, horse owner, or assembly line laborer. That region of KY just doesn't seem to have a bustling skilled/tech sector to speak of, so after a few years of waiting/searching we turned our attention elsewhere.

In 2010 my wife and I purposely took a major fiscal/credit hit and fled with what we could pack into 5 moving pods (from a PODS competitor), plus a Uhaul, and moved to the United States to a nice rural county located in Central Virginia. We now live in a free county of 15,000 people instead of a prison colony of 1,000,000+ people. Aside from begrudingly going back with my wife to bury her mom when the time comes, I will never set foot in California without really really bad (good in my mind) intent.........

I am not the same person I was 2 years ago. I was consumed by rage and hatred against California. If I could have obtained thermonukes I would have embraced infamy. Now I can laugh at the absurdity that is reported daily out of California and bask in the surplus that Virginia is enjoying for the 3rd year in a row, my kids are FINALLY learning about American history, the people here are genuine, and the 2nd Amendment is staunchly defended and embraced by a majority of the citizens. People here wonder why we picked as we did, and as I explain the differences between life here and the hell back there, my favorite joke is that the only way I will leave is by torches and pitchforks..........

Shinbone

August 22, 2012, 02:21 PM

North Central Illinois, where I was born. I have no idea why anyone would want to settle here. Maybe people who think it's great have never been anywhere else.
I haven't had any problem finding work here. The area used to be a manufacturing center, but not much anymore.
Can't wait for carry laws because the lack of them has made the large cities war zones.
Would love to move out west. Maybe Wyoming.

swiftak

August 26, 2012, 10:46 AM

I was born in Paris, France. Was an Army Brat and travelled the world until I was in the 8th grade. Saw alot of things that most people don't see in a lifetime. Thank god my parents were both from New Hampshire as that was where we returned to. I spent 6 years in the Army and returned here. I hunt, fish, trap, and cut wood. The gun laws are as good as they can be and I cannot see another house from mine. I love the woods and the 8 inch native brookies in the brook behind my house.

HorseSoldier

August 26, 2012, 12:38 PM

Army brat, ended up mostly growing up in the American South. Ended up eventually moving to Alaska.

Why Alaska? Well I think anyone on this forum will understand.

+1. What he said. Can't see myself ever leaving AK.

Larry the Liberal

August 28, 2012, 02:29 AM

Born in Kansas ... family moved to Los Angeles when I was 10. During the 60s it was great ... but by the time the late 70s arrived L.A. was ruined ... started looking for a way out. Ended up moving to the Central Coast ... Morro Bay - San Luis Obispo ... and discovered paradise.

Eight years ago the wife and I bought an Airstream and took off for 6 years of full time traveling around the USA. Visited some very nice places that tempted us to move ... but none of them had the unique combination of weather, food, wine and outdoor lifestyle that the Central Coast offered.

Lot's of folks love to hate California for the gun laws (and other politics) ... and yes, it can be frustrating. But for me, there is more to life than firearms. This part of the state is very 2A friendly, extremely low crime rate ... an overabundance of gun stores ... 2 great ranges (one public and one private) ... and the home of Apex Tactical, Hogue and Weatherby. I love it here ... and I ain't movin'.:)

bubbacrabb

August 28, 2012, 05:12 AM

Living in Oregon currently. I can not stand it. I came here because of my job, and I have to say the entire western half of the country is horrible. Food sucks, people suck, cant wait to get back on the right side of the Mississippi. I just cant stand how complicated life is out here. Oregon can kiss my midwest behind when I get out of here. I'm a Hoosier by birth, but I'd rather live in the communist state of Illinois before dying in this hippie place.

jrdolall

August 28, 2012, 08:13 AM

Ended up moving to the Central Coast ... Morro Bay - San Luis Obispo ... and discovered paradise
This is one of those places where you can be in 65 degrees, drive 10 minutes up 101 and be in 105 degrees. I love most of CA. If they didn't have way too many people and weren't hopelessly bankrupt (financially and morally) I could live there because of the things you mentioned. Gas is 50-70 cents per gallon higher then it is in the SE due to the "special blend".

Davek1977

August 28, 2012, 09:38 AM

born and raised in South Dakota....growing up, couldn't wait to leave here.....then I grew up and realized I no longer wanted to live anywhere else. I have what I want and need here....friends, family, hunting, fishing, and a prevalent attitude that is overwhelmingly gun friendly

brnmuenchow

August 28, 2012, 12:34 PM

My family has been in Texas since 1891, and can't really imagine living anywhere else. Aside from the really hot summers it's a great state. If I had to live anywhere else I imagine going to Alaska, even being from Texas I love the cold. I have to admit though if I left Texas I would miss "Lone Star" beer not to mention many other items made here in the "Lone Star State". :D

Arkansas Paul

August 28, 2012, 12:42 PM

Born in Fairhope Alabama, down on the coast. Have lived in Mississippi and Arkansas as well. Currently in Central Arkansas. Good hunting here and the gun restrictions aren't bad, comparatively speaking.
I don't know if I'll always live here or not, but it will be somewhere in the south for sure. American by birth, Southern by grace. It just don't get any better than sweet tea, southern hospitality and country girls.

mgmorden

August 28, 2012, 05:48 PM

I live in the backwoods of the South Carolina Lowcountry, and live here because my family has always lived here :) (well, at least for a very long time). Recently when doing genealogical research I discovered that I have great-great-great grandparents buried less than 3 miles from the house (and just going back to "great-grandparents" they're buried less than a half-mile away). We don't spread out much.

THowie

August 28, 2012, 06:34 PM

Live in Nashville. Came here for a job about 10 years & fell in love.

ElToro

August 28, 2012, 06:59 PM

san francisco bay area. Born and raised in San Jose. Family been here since 1870s or so. yes i hate the politics but its also all ive known. my bro left for TX a few years ago. if it wasnt for my 98 year old grandma and my 70 year old folks that im very close and loyal to, i'd bail. maybe after my grandma passes my parents wont have much to stay for. they are retired and could sell or rent their home easily. we could all pack up for TX and start anew there. my bro already has the groundwork laid. my wife has been really anti california lately and wants to move away before the kids get entrenched in school. both are pre-k

its tough to pick up and move. i have a very very good paying job here.

DammitBoy

August 28, 2012, 07:23 PM

Born in Southern Cali, raised in Washington DC, went to college in Alabama, and kept marrying southern women.

I've worked my way west to Mississippi so far, and this is where my kids are.

So here is where I'll stay.

Victor1Echo

August 28, 2012, 08:08 PM

I live in Independence, ca because I hated So California--traffic, smog, people,illegals and just so much over development made me feel like a rat in a cage. Since I am a teacher, I just applied all up and down highway 395. I got job and moved. I now live about 7 miles from a national forest, am on friendly terms with our counties sheriff, but best of all live in a atown of less than 600 people. Oh, I can also shoot my guns on public land about 4 miles from my house. I get to live in the area of my dear tag, which most people in California probably don't get to do. I feel like I live in another state, except for all the illegals.

marv

August 29, 2012, 12:48 AM

I live a mile from where I was born. Family biz has kept me here. Used to think of places I'd rather be. Too late now.

Sport45

August 29, 2012, 09:57 AM

Born a Texan and have bounced around the state a bit following the paycheck. Just outside of Houston now.

aka108

August 29, 2012, 11:18 AM

Born in SoCal. Loved being there in my teens and early 20's during the 1950's. All formal eduction in that State. Navy sent me to Florida in 1960 and the place sort of took hold of me. Transferred back to CA and the place was in the process of changing for the worse. From CA I went to Seattle on a promotion and hated the place. Drizzled all the time and the sun only came out in the middle of the work week. So, returned to Florida and never left however I had some great experiences in North NV while young and built a retirement home outside of Elko which we used for 15 years. Sold it last year since just getting too old to maintain two places.
In Tallahassee we are only 4 miles from a regional med center, 1 mile from major shopping yet the house still seems out in the country where it was when we built it. Would not move for anything.

cleardiddion

August 30, 2012, 10:37 PM

Born in Pucheon, ROK moved to Bakersfield, CA when I was seven.

From there we went East(a bit different) to Longmont, CO a year and a half later.
Was there for 14 years with the exception of 4 years of FL for my education (ERAU more specifically).

Folks' place went under and I moved up with them here to Cheyenne, WY.
Folks moved on, I stayed.
Why?

A lot had to do with my job (wandering all up and down WY and into CO) but it also had a lot do with the fact that I really like it here. Centrally located to where I want (and need) to be, less people and a higher proportion of good ones, good climate (mostly), lots of open spaces, and the gun laws are damned good.

Oh and the tax rates, they help quite a bit to keep me rooted here.

archigos

August 31, 2012, 01:29 AM

Upstate NY

Sorry this is long, but I really want to explain my roots here and hopefully dispel some thoughts about us Upstate New York RKBA supporters.

I've been here my whole life so far (I'm in my late twenties, for those who must know). I was born here and raised here. I was stupid and stayed local for college for a girl (though that college wound up being great for me). I've kept stumbling into decent jobs around here since, and now that I'm finally more mobile and could find a job elsewhere, my wife (not the aforementioned girl) is finally in a job that is great for her.

Make no mistake about it. I want to escape NY in the worst way, and escape really is the only term for it. I love the climate and the landscape, but the politics are horrific. I do some behind-the-scenes politically-related work and the additional exposure is even more disheartening - some of the more disgusting things never make their way to the news. The thought of living here and paying taxes to this corrupt machine causes me such emotional pain that it sometimes manifests itself as physical discomfort. My wife and I have arguments because she wants to buy a house, but I refuse to do so in this state. We're living in a cramped apartment for the sole reason that we're still in NY.
Yet, I'm still stuck here (for now). I'll make my escape someday, but family comes first, and this is the happiest I have ever seen my wife. When she gets some time in this role on her resume we'll find a better place for us, and I really cannot wait.

I often see people post on this forum that its NY residents' fault for living in NY, and that's pretty hard for me to read on The High Road. I didn't choose to live here, I was born here, and I've been kept here originally by my need for a job and now by my commitment to my wife - and I have no shame for this.
While I've been here, I've worked diligently to change things as best as I can. I grew up in an anti-gun family and have, through about 15 years of work, managed to persuade my entire [local] family to support RKBA. My uncle now is a skeet instructor at his gun club, my brother works for a very pro-gun federal politician, my father has permits in multiple states, and even my mother (who previously wouldn't even allow a gun her home) has finally gotten her permit of her own accord, though she doesn't really use it. As I said, I do some behind-the-scenes political work and am highly motivated to work to make things better. My business has discounted more than we've taken in so far this year for the sake of helping the good guys. I've slaved away for pennies on the dollar, and didn't have any need to do so.
Don't think less of me because I'm from NYS, and don't tell me its my fault. I am every bit as committed to RKBA as most anyone on THR. I am dying to escape this state, but have reasons that I can't just yet. While I'm stuck here, I am doing everything in my power to fight for our rights. I have no shame for continuously facing oppression, and I'm proud of how I handle it.

boomhower1820

August 31, 2012, 01:36 AM

I'm originally from a cow town in Ohio. I graduated from college and didn't want to move back home. My sister have got married and bought a house in Charlotte, NC. She offered to let me come down and stay with her. Eventually got my own place. GF at the tome(now wife) got pregnant. We got broke. Her family was from a small town not to far away so we went there. Six years later we're living in another small town not far away and I couldn't be happier. Big cities are great when your single, smaller towns much better to raise a family.

erkman

August 31, 2012, 01:04 PM

I live right at the bottom of a mountain range in a sleepy little valley in a rural county in NE Alabama on land my family has owned and lived on since the Civil War Ended. I have ancestors who lived in this valley before Alabama even became a state. Currently I am living in a house my grandfather built with his own hands in 1955 that sits in front of the house he was raised in and built by his father around 1890.

My dad has a house ľ mile down the road that is next to our own private 200 yard rifle range along with several hundred acres of mountain land literally out my back door than I can hunt and wander around on. Donít really have much reason to move anywhere else at the current place in time.

DammitBoy

August 31, 2012, 03:33 PM

You're making me jealous erkman!

Shinbone

August 31, 2012, 05:24 PM

No kidding. Some of these guys are so fortunate.

bigtubby

August 31, 2012, 06:17 PM

Really enjoyed all the stories and how proud people are of where they live and rightfully so.

I was born in Northern Calif. parents moved to Vegas in 1963 and I have been here since. I have thought about leaving but I don't like to shovel snow or swat bugs flying or crawling. Wouldn't mind a place with a little less sun although the winters here are nice. My wife's family and mine are all here and my brother and I have a business so I can't really bail on him. Maybe another 10 years and we can look around for a retirement place.

talldragon

August 31, 2012, 06:47 PM

The rest of the world just doesn't realize that the best of California (95%) is NOT in San Francisco, Los Angeles or Sacramento. I wouldn't live anywhere else on earth.
I've been here my whole life so far .... Make no mistake about it. I want to escape NY in the worst way, and escape really is the only term for it. I love the climate and the landscape, but the politics are horrific. I do some behind-the-scenes politically-related work and the additional exposure is even more disheartening - some of the more disgusting things never make their way to the news. The thought of living here and paying taxes to this corrupt machine causes me such emotional pain that it sometimes manifests itself as physical discomfort..... I often see people post on this forum that its NY residents' fault for living in NY, and that's pretty hard for me to read on The High Road. I didn't choose to live here, I was born here, and I've been kept here originally by my need for a job and now by my commitment to my wife - and I have no shame for this.....Don't think less of me because I'm from NYS, and don't tell me its my fault. I am every bit as committed to RKBA as most anyone on THR. I am dying to escape this state, but have reasons that I can't just yet. While I'm stuck here, I am doing everything in my power to fight for our rights. I have no shame for continuously facing oppression, and I'm proud of how I handle it.

Thanks go to bergman for the Northern California comments and archigos (post #108) for the sentiments about his home in NYS. It closely mirrors how I feel about my home here in the Sierra Nevada foothills. I couldn't have said it better :D .

After my Dad finished his tour during Vietnam, he moved us out of the Sacramento Valley where I was born and to much better climes in the hills; away from the smog, congestion and city attitudes that are so pervasive there. Cool, fresh pine and fir scented air....gotta have it :) .
Taught my brother and I to shoot at around ten. Hunting and fishing a few years later.
I am 43 now; I love where I live and after all, someone has to stay here and fight for what rights we have left.
There are some great places here to hunt, fish, camp and go four-wheelin' as well as some good ranges (indoor and outdoor). Most are a little drive, but that's fine by me.
Rural areas here are predominantly pro-2a. I know very few people who do not own a firearm of some type and know how to use it.
My job will keep me here for the foreseeable future. I will be reevaluating that further down the line; as in the next 5 yrs or so.
Entire family is here as well as my MIL, who is starting to need us around a lot more as time goes on.

4v50 Gary

August 31, 2012, 09:31 PM

I am where I am because I am in school. Professional student is I. :)

AZ PAUL

September 1, 2012, 04:08 AM

Iv lived in Arizona for the last 21 years, born and raised. While I enjoy the gun laws, there are many things I really dislike. I do not enjoy the heat, the crime, and could do without the big city (maybe).

I would love to move somewhere cooler such as San Diego, Iowa (family), Alaska (think I would really like it), and maybe Seattle WA. Leads???

sammass

September 1, 2012, 12:36 PM

Born in Oakland, visited Idaho and Utah for 8 years while Dad's territory got 'consolidated'. Back to NorCal and graduated HS in '64. Moved again to the Bay Area; USN in San Diego, RVN, and Camp Pendleton. Back to the Bay Area; Moved to Sacramento; Retired. Wife has business here so not going anywhere soon. Kids having kids; so probably not going anywhere anytime.

All that being said with tall mountains and blue ocean, the warm winds and cool breezes, the urban and the rural all within 2 hours, I would just as soon leave California for less roof line and way more elbow room. The brats in the sandbox under the dome downtown and in DC seem to make ill concieved changes on a whim and the rest of us suffer. PITA to deal with. Not much difference between a 'hider' and 'break' in my mind but that is another story. I will expire in California down the road, but it is not the state I remember as a child or now want.

Be Well.

esheato

September 2, 2012, 02:25 AM

Born in the suburbs of Cleveland but ended up in central CA for high school. College wasn't quite in the plans so the USAF took me all over the world. Finally separated and ended up in socal working for CBP....great job, crappy location. Means to an end and all. I'm busting my hump to get a permanent govt. position up in North Dakota with CBP. I've got my fingers crossed....

dc.fireman

September 2, 2012, 07:22 PM

Born and raised behind the Orange Curtain in SoCal, back when they only had 1 area code, and 2 Marine Corps bases. Dad dragged me kicking and screaming to NoVa. in 1986. I left after HS in 1988, for all of 3 mos. I returned home, jobless, penniless, and a little less idealistic than I had been when I left. Aside from 10 months in OKC, and 3 mos. in Detroit, I've been here ever since - it's getting more crowded by the minute, and when retirement comes along, I'm considering NC, CO, WY, ID, and MT...

MoreIsLess

September 2, 2012, 08:01 PM

the prettiest women

Apparently you haven't been to Atlanta, GA. I've lived in numerous states and I haven't lived anywhere that has as many good looking women as here in ATL.

Oops, I forgot, this is a gun forum

MoreIsLess

September 2, 2012, 08:16 PM

It just don't get any better than sweet tea, southern hospitality and country girls.

Ditto to that. I'm from Indiana originally but have lived in the South (NC, FL, GA) for the last 28 years. People from up north just don't get it when it comes to all the fuss about being from the South (I know I used to be one of them). It's more than a place to live, it's a way of life. I love the south and hope it will always be my home.

We have pretty good gun laws here in GA, lots of pretty women, mild winters, the beaches aren't too far away nor are the mountains. What more need say I.

Deltaboy

September 2, 2012, 11:19 PM

TX <removed>. Great weather , good jobs and Freedom.

Kynoch

September 2, 2012, 11:29 PM

I live on the Coast of California in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. There simply is no better weather on Earth. Outstanding jobs and plenty of freedom that's never talked about. I am here originally because my family goes back many generations in this location. I came back after college because of family and because it's simply a gorgeous place to live. I cannot imagine expending my earthly existance in a hellhole (on many levels) like TX. Now that would truly be miserable on a daily, often hourly basis.

I'm also not about to flee. This is my home and I'm here for the duration.

bikerdoc

September 3, 2012, 07:57 AM

People from up north just don't get it when it comes to all the fuss about being from the South (I know I used to be one of them). It's more than a place to live, it's a way of life. I love the south and hope it will always be my home.

True words.

I got here as soon as I could because of my 2nd wife. After 22 yrs as a northern cop, we came here when I retired I had to be reeducated and assimilated. I learned the values of her people, guns, god, guts, family first, helping others, talking polite, and working hard.
I can shoot every day on our properties, open carry, crime is low, and the air is clean.
Ya, it is a way of life.

Ramone

September 3, 2012, 11:31 AM

I've found, as a New Yorker living in the south (Being a New Yorker is like being a Marine- there is no "ex"), that somewhere between Kynoch and Bikerdoc (ahoy neighbor!).

Just as I have found my Euro friends to assume that all of the USA is the same as what they visited (or have seen on TV), 'The South', to those of us that have traveled it, is a Damn Big Place, with a great deal of variation in the local culture.

There *are* places in the south (as there are in 'the North') that I would would be happy to not have to claim as part of My Nation- and there are others that I just love to pieces...

For me, having grown up in the shadow of the Greatest City (516, Represent!), and being of a Marine Corps family, I find the south in the vicinity of a large Naval Base suits me to a 'T' (which, for me, explains my orbit between Jacksonville FL and Norfolk VA). I find that the cultural impact of Americas True Mixing Pot (the Military) bringing service personal and dependents to the otherwise insular South makes for a vibrant, cosmopolitan populace.

Though, to be fair, there are equal bits of what my old Dad always refered to as 'Northern Hospitality and Southern Efficiency'.

ottohund

September 3, 2012, 02:46 PM

I have lived most of my life in the South of the USA (whenever I was not overseas). I have lived in PA & MD for about 2 years total. I currently live in San Marcos TX, and I very much enjoy being here. I am fine with people having a negative view of the South. You are absolutely correct, stay where you are. It is much better there.

Rexster

September 3, 2012, 04:34 PM

I am in SE Texas, living about 30 miles from where I grew up. My mother has ancestors that settled in the Huffman area during the land grant period, before the Republic of Texas. Huffman is not an incorporated city, and part has been annexed by the city of Houston. My father's parents were from Crowley, Louisiana, and moved to Texas during the Great Depression, to look for work. My parents met at First Baptist Church in Highlands, and that is where I lived, mostly, from 1961 until 1998. Huffman and Highlands, as well as most of Houston, are in Harris County, which is quite large, about 1800 square miles.

I doubt I will move very far from my present location, unless perhaps my wife retires from public service, and gets a private sector job that would require relocating. I would certainly not mind relocating to a rural area, or smaller town that is not surrounded by urban sprawl. My wife likes the idea of moving to San Antonio, near her brother, though I would rather not live IN San Antonio; I would rather be in a more conservative county, and away from the urban sprawl growing along I-35.

Texas may not be the most handgun-friendly state in the union, but we have it pretty good here, and while still an active peace officer, I have it VERY good, being able to legally carry just about anything, anywhere. Life is good! :)

Edited to add: BTW, Texas is not the South! ;)

I grew up Southern Baptist, but my wife is Catholic. I tease her about about being an idol worshipper, and she teases me about being a snake handler. As for prejudice, well, I am blue-eyed, Scot-Irish on one side, and mostly German on the other, but blessed with a French surname. My first wife was an olive-tan-complexioned Hispanic, which is where my son got his permanent suntan. We presently live near one of the largest synogogues in the USA, and we love our Jewish neighbors. Life is good!

Dixiejack

September 3, 2012, 08:35 PM

I was born and raised in South Georgia and North Florida. Twelve of those years on the Georgia/Florida East coast. That was back when one could ride or walk for miles and see nothing but pristine beaches. Now you can't see the ocean for the houses.
Why would I want to retire in the South when I was raised here? My wife and I have our hopes set on moving to SE Indiana around Madison. It is beautiful there and the people are friendly and it is clean.
You don't see garbage on the side of roads or Walmart bags fluttering in the breeze along with gnats and love bugs like you do in South Georgia.
Where I live now, the parking lot at Walmart is 1/2 full of privately owned surplus school busses that have brought Mexican farm workers to town on the weekends. The drug industry has gone out of sight. Ten years ago the county I live in would maybe have 5 or 6 killings a year, now we have 2 to 3 drug related killings a week and all related to gangs of Mexicans. A town of 50,000 that is 18 miles from me is in the FBI top ten of unsolved murders--most drug related.
If you want to retire to the South for good Ole' (pronounced O-lay) South of the Border hospitality, I got two houses for sale on adjoining lots and we got liberal gun laws for even the criminal population.

sgtstryker

September 3, 2012, 10:09 PM

Dixiejack, I feel your pain. South Ga. in general has changed alot in the last few years. My wife's family is here and we are settled. My intention was to be further north, so, we'll ride it out. Lots of shooting buddies and good hunting nearby, takes the edge off. At least Al, Tn and the Carolinas are close, good motorcycle riding..

MoreIsLess

September 4, 2012, 11:00 AM

I am fine with people having a negative view of the South. You are absolutely correct, stay where you are. It is much better there.
Ha ha, that's a pretty good one. I totally agree, stay put!

jim in Anchorage

September 4, 2012, 12:29 PM

Exactly. The threads about why you live where you do, NOT about why the other guy is a jerk for living where HE lives.

Shinbone

September 4, 2012, 01:43 PM

I think that all parts of this country have advantages and disadvantages. I wish I had the time and money to check out the South, the West and other areas for myself. I've never been to the South, other than Fort Polk, courtesy of Uncle Sam or to the West Coast, but I'd sure like to visit all these areas. And I'll bet Vermont and New Hampshire and upstate New York are awesome, from pictures I've seen. :D
Oh, I was in South Carolina for about a month on a job. Fantastic eating down there. Love that southern cooking.

bergmen

September 4, 2012, 02:38 PM

I think that all parts of this country have advantages and disadvantages. I wish I had the time and money to check out the South, the West and other areas for myself. I've never been to the South, other than Fort Polk, courtesy of Uncle Sam or to the West Coast, but I'd sure like to visit all these areas. And I'll bet Vermont and New Hampshire and upstate New York are awesome, from pictures I've seen. :D
Oh, I was in South Carolina for about a month on a job. Fantastic eating down there. Love that southern cooking.

Being a Californian I would highly recommend a visit to the west coast as a vacation. Take a week and fly in to San Francisco and rent a car to drive up the coastal highway to Mendocino and you really won't believe the breathtaking beauty. Take time to cross the central valley and see Yosemite, mind boggling.

The east coast is fabulous as well (only visited, Boston and region). Lot's of history there, people are fantastic and just a great place to visit. No need to rent a car in Boston, great public transportation and it's best to just walk the city. Fabulous, and the lobsters are to die for.

Dan

Tempest 455

September 4, 2012, 02:46 PM

Born in MI. Moved to WI at 4. Spent much of my life in WI and moved outside Nashville 7 years ago. Wish I would have moved here a long time ago.

Kyle M.

September 4, 2012, 02:48 PM

Born in ohio, still stuck in ohio. No real reason to move, no real reason not too.

smalls

September 4, 2012, 02:54 PM

Oh, I was in South Carolina for about a month on a job. Fantastic eating down there. Love that southern cooking.

I was down there for two weeks on vacation a few years ago. I damn near started putting out applications for jobs, just so I could eat that seafood every day!

DesertFox

September 4, 2012, 03:36 PM

Currently located due to proximity of mother-in-law, formerly due to the proximity of grandmother. My parents are most likely going to migrate up this way. Wife and I graduated from college here - nobody else we graduated with could afford to stick around. This area has been extremely cruel to me over the years; an obvious sign of my own self-inflicted punishment. However there is a job, there are mountains, rivers, hunting, fishing, outdoor activities that keep me here, away from the vast majority of everyone else. Now if I could do something about that pesky job, I could do a lot more fishing and hunting...

jim in Anchorage

September 4, 2012, 04:12 PM

Where is TBD?

Teachu2

September 4, 2012, 07:11 PM

In the words of that immortal Californian,"Can't we all just get along?"

He died a couple of months ago...:scrutiny:

I was born in Bakersfield, CA and spent all but five years of my life here. We're a generally conservative oil and ag community 100 miles from everything - the Sequoia mountains, the Pacific, Los Angeles. We're two hours from Yosemite. It gets hot here, and we have a bit of winter fog.

We also have 300+ days of sunshine, lower housing costs than most of California, and fresh produce in abundance. The wife and I have good jobs, a fine house, and lots of shooting opportunities. We also have three parents, two siblings, three sons, two DILs, and four grandchildren here.

Just like everywhere, there are positives and negatives. If I won the lottery, I'd move - until then, I'm happy here.

Curator

September 4, 2012, 07:32 PM

S,W. Florida is not paradise but close to it. Well, except for the occasional hurricane, but nowhere is perfect. Great weather, good gun laws. Right to work state, but plenty of liberal-thinkers and other fools to provide minor aggravation. Not a good place to raise kids, but a great place to avoid giving your tax money to socialist politicians (this coast only!). Plenty of illegals to go around but some of them will actually mow your grass. Not enough public ranges but we're working on that. Good fishing, OK hunting (no woodchucks) if you like little deer and feral hogs. Lots of public land and Marco Rubio. What's not to like? A former tax & regulation refugee from Western New York, I am happy as can be here!

Friendly, Don't Fire!

September 4, 2012, 09:01 PM

I live on Earth because this is the place in which I was born.

Larry Ashcraft

September 4, 2012, 09:41 PM

This is not a thread for turf wars and name calling.
Exactly. I've deleted some posts to clean this thread up. I'll start deleting members if it flares up again.

No more warnings.

jim in Anchorage

September 4, 2012, 10:15 PM

Exactly. I've deleted some posts to clean this thread up. I'll start deleting members if it flares up again.

No more warnings.
Thank you. Enjoying this, was really disappointed to see it going downhill.

rice paddy daddy

September 5, 2012, 12:57 PM

I was raised in South Florida (Palm Beach County), back when it was paradise - the 50's and 60's. Gradually it began to get crowded with people from other parts of the country ( and Caribbean). Lots of pavement, stores, condos blocking beach access, bales of dope washing up on the beach, skyrocketing crime rates, houses where we used to go shooting and hunting before, traffic, traffic, traffic.
My wife and I wished, hoped, and prayed to get the heck out - to a place that has more churches than bars.
Finally, thanks to a corporate restructuring that closed the warehouse where I was employed we managed to make our escape via a company relocation. That was 1995.
Today, I'm still employed, but with a different company, and we have a small farm on a dead end dirt road 6 miles outside a one stop light town.
She's got the horses and chickens she always wanted, I've got my very own patch of woods to roam. Life is good.
Cows make the best neighbors.

ArfinGreebly

September 5, 2012, 04:20 PM

North Idaho, CdA area.

Why?

Uh, well, there's a story . . .

Born east coast. Can't tell you much about that.

Early memories begin in Ohio. Trailer park, then a small farm. It was the early fifties. We went to school in Danville, which was a long-ish bus ride.

Around age seven, we sell the farm, buy an old school bus, convert to mobile hovel, complete with wood & coal burning stove for cooking & heating. Move to Alabama. Dad bides his time until he lands job at Redstone Arsenal, home of the Atlas rocket.

Around age nine, we follow Dad's career west. He works at Aerojet General, home of the Saturn rocket, putting dudes into space. However, even though it's a bunch closer, my parents elect not to move us to Sacramento, but instead to park the family in a little Sierra Nevada foothills town, Placerville, where we will spend the next nine years in a very outdoors-friendly community, with orchards, mountains, hunting, fishing, and all that.

My dad commutes fifty miles each way for nine years so that we can grow up in a small town rather than a metro area. Like any other kid, I completely have no grasp of the sacrifices my parents make for that child rearing environment. It will gradually dawn on me, but I will be in my fifties before it registers.

After I graduated, and the space program cutbacks began, we moved to Tucson, but I wasn't there long. We will skip forward over the Air Force years and the decade of overseas volunteer work, and resume with parachuting into Las Vegas in the early eighties.

New career, new town and, after a couple of years, new wife.

Twenty years later . . . work takes us to Phoenix for a couple of years, then back to Vegas. It doesn't take long for us to wonder to one another, "what are we still doing here?"

And we move north (and west, as it happens -- did you know that Reno is west of Los Angeles?). Carson City, commuting to Reno, for another four years.

We figured we were done moving.

Carson City is acceptably rural, the region is gun-friendly, it has a hunting/fishing/outdoor culture, and it is situated in a seriously gorgeous place. Half hour from Tahoe. Four real seasons. Mild winters, but a short drive from hard core skiing. What's not to love?

Well, we took a vacation, finally, and visited a buddy of mine with whom I had worked in Vegas but who was now living 35 miles from the Canadian border. We drove around Bonners Ferry, Sandpoint, Coeur d'Alene , Post Falls, and the Panhandle area, and we came to a conclusion: we agreed that, in the unlikely event we ever had to move again, this would be the place.

You know, sometimes you have to be careful what thoughts you cast loose in the universe . . .

A year and a half later, events had conspired to make it necessary for us to move.

And here we are.

We live in an area that is, seriously, all about the outdoors. We live among communities of people who are unwitting "preppers" -- survivalists if you prefer -- but who don't actually realize that their culture is a survival/prepper thing. It's just how they live. We've got significant populations of Mormons and Mennonites up here, and I'm totally fine with that. One bunch is all about being prepared, the other is all about living off the land.

The "Aryan Nation" crowd are long gone, and the folks here are surprisingly "normal," using the same measuring stick I would have used in my youth.

(Kind of a funny aside: when we came up here the first time, we were doing some window shopping for property up around Bonners Ferry, and one of the homes we looked at was being sold by the Mennonite family who had lived in it for years and years. I asked them why they were moving, after all, I said, they had ten acres that was ten miles out of town, with the nearest neighbors a half mile in one direction, and nearly a mile in the other. Their reply? "It's too crowded here; we're moving to Montana where we can have more room." Because, you know, ten miles to town and more than a half mile to your neighbors is way too cramped. Oh -- in a couple of the Mennonite homes we toured, there were rifles just kind of stood behind the door, leaning against the wall. 'Cuz, well, you might need one. I grew up with that; kinda never expected that I would ever see "casual guns" again.)

I keep my annual membership in the local (Fernan) shooting club up to date, even though finances and work have kept me off the range for more than a year.

I commute 35 miles each way. I am frequently asked why I don't just move to Spokane. I don't generally give a complete answer, and nobody I know in Idaho ever asks that question.

So, why?

Because it's gorgeous here, it's not the "big city," and I'm surrounded by self-sufficient people who, in the main, value gun ownership and gun rights as much as I do.

jim in Anchorage

September 5, 2012, 05:15 PM

Arfin- That was a great post, well written. I have been thinking more and more about leaving Alaska for the land of free shipping [lower 48.] I am getting a little old for Alaska hunting. What are the winters like in your part of Idaho?

ArfinGreebly

September 5, 2012, 07:19 PM

Arfin- That was a great post, well written. I have been thinking more and more about leaving Alaska for the land of free shipping [lower 48.] I am getting a little old for Alaska hunting. What are the winters like in your part of Idaho?

Well, it varies. I'm sure that will come as a shock.

I've only been up here for five complete winters, but two of them had a respectable amount of snow. The winter of 2007-2008 started in late November (well, the snow did, anyway) and piled up to depths of two and three feet on more than one occasion (unshoveled snow got to be four & five feet deep where we were). There was much shoveling that winter.

The 2008-2009 winter started late, but right after Christmas it stacked up again. We had the "pleasure" of moving in the last week of 2008, and the house we moved into had been unoccupied for months. The snow in the driveway was more than four feet deep.

In 2009-2010, we got a decent snowfall, and had a white Christmas, but it never got over two feet deep, and we had a really wet spring.

The winter of 2010-2011 was "average" I guess. Modest snowfall, depending on where you were (two-three feet), although it was slower to melt off, and spring was wet again.

This last winter, 2011-2012, was possibly a little light, although I did get to run the snowblower a couple of times with snow over a foot deep.

These numbers are for Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene. If you lived in Hauser, Twin Lakes, or Spirit Lake, things got a bit deeper. Spirit Lake always seems to have more snow than we do, and it's only twenty-something miles away.

We're at about 2,700 feet. As you go up the slopes, the snow starts to stack up pretty good. There are a number of ski resorts within easy driving distance. A number of the local lakes freeze over, so there's ice fishing.

So, the winters are real without being too obnoxious.

And, of course, in the summer you get to appreciate that there's a lake on every street corner. I recently did a map grab from my DeLorme software and posted it somewhere else online for illustration of the density of our lake population. Theres a butt-load of lakes in the map segment. I'll see if I can dig that up.

And here it is.
171156

jim in Anchorage

September 5, 2012, 07:59 PM

I can live with snow. After all I lived 22 years in Buffalo and 17 in Anchorage. But what are the temperatures like? This last January was brutal. Day after day wake up to -20. Average temp for whole month was +1.7. a all time record low.

And whats the normal hunting style there? Are there Lot's of places to hunt? And how do you access them? Road, 4 wheeler, airplane?

Montana Griz

September 6, 2012, 01:53 AM

I am curious over the location of THR members and if it shows a trend. I will start. My parents moved to upstate NY when I was 6, ended up in Buffalo in 1972 where I graduated HS 1974. I hung around, always wanting to go West till 1995 when I put my tools in the back of my trunk [I'm a mechanic] and left alone for Alaska. Did not know anyone here, no real idea if I would be able to find a job. And here I still am.

Why Alaska? Well I think anyone on this forum will understand.
I just stumbled on to this thread and would like to add my .02 cents................................

Born in far northern Illinois (just a few miles from the Wis state line) in the last quarter of the great depression. Fortunately, we lived in a very rural area, on a lake so I literally grew up from the age of (9) with a fishing rod in one hand and a rifle or shotgun in the other. During WWII ammo was hard to come by, but with the help of neighbors and friends that didn't shoot much, I was able to help mom with the menu almost year 'round: fish, pheasants, squirrel, dove, rabbits, ducks etc.

Lived there until age 18......started college 180 miles away with 2 part-time jobs to pay for a large portion of the cost. Hunted pheasants, quail, rabbits & ducks in the few spare hours during season in the fall and winter (Iowa)..............Graduated in 4 1/2 years...... (spent part of that time in the hospital)...being the result of being a front seat passenger in a convertible that hit a tree---2 dead, one lived...me.

Started work (7) days after graduation (had a wife and a child by that time).

Moved to CO in 1965--way too crowded in IL.... (to live in the foothills of the Rockies & have a couple of horses to facilitate "pack-in hunting trips" into the back-country for deer, elk and bear......... added big game hunting (had started handloading in 1960) to the all-consuming sport of bird hunting....both were pretty good in CO in those days. ... Had a job that required travel about 75% of the time not only in CO., but into WY; ID; UT; NV; AZ; B.C. and Alaska...............An outdoor nut's dream job!!
Moved to MT in 1980 (10 miles out of town), tight up against the Bitterroot Mountains.
Kept the same type job (different company) and continued to doing the large amount of travel......(sure helped getting to know folks in those different states (particularly AK) that helped line up hunting opportunities).
After 39 yrs & 6 months of traveling....I retired and have continued to LOVE living where I do, in the home I built 33 years ago) .........still 10 miles out of town: good hunting; good fishing; can shoot on my place--still like to work up loads; lots of privacy, wildlife and QUIET!...........At this age, I feel "I've Paid-My-Dues" and just want to live out my days doing what I love to do........was married 51 yrs before I lost my wife,.....so in recent years it's been "me & my Brittany".

CARPE DIEM my friends........."we don't get any "do-overs" so do it right the first time!!

Brockak47

September 6, 2012, 03:23 PM

Where am I from? Bloomington,IN
Where Do I live now: Prescott,AZ. , downside is all my family pretty much lives in Indiana, besides a few in Ohio and Iowa.
Why? I am within driving distance (Less than 5 hours) of places like this (and many many more including Las Vegas):

When I was 8, my family moved from a small town outside of Boise, ID to central PA. We eventually settled to a 100 acre farm near Stormstown, PA. We hunted white tails, turkey, rabbits, pheasants, and squirrels on our farm and the surrounding areas. It was a pretty nice place to grow up. The winters were brutal. One winter it was -20 for a week. The next there was so much snow we had to shovel it off the barn to keep it from collapsing.

I went to high school and two years of college in State College, PA. After that, I transferred to a university back in the west. All that time back east and I never stopped pining for the west. Anyway, after I got my masters, I took a job back in the Boise area and have lived here since the late 80's. Hunting and fishing are fantastic. Lots of places to ride dirt bikes and horses. The weather is great. Schools are awesome. Idaho is the original "run with scissors" state, and that is just the way I like it. The only downside is that property taxes are very high, we have a state income tax, and a sales tax. Job prospects are not great. The feds own too much land, and the BLM is run by complete idiots. There is no perfect place, but ID comes close.

WYOMan

September 7, 2012, 12:57 AM

Wyoming! At the foot of the Bighorns, with the love of my life. Because God is great and blessed me beyond what I deserve.

JERRY

September 7, 2012, 01:21 AM

was Cleveland.

now Alabama.

should be self explainatory.

Zeeemu

September 7, 2012, 11:13 AM

I live at the southern end of the great megalopolis, BosNYWash, in southern Maryland, the so called, 'Free State'. Nothing free about it of course but it's been home for more than forty years. Gun laws suck here but we do have the finest politicians money can buy.

I've collected too much stuff to easily move so I've settled in for the duration. Lots of retirement travel allows me to enjoy visiting many states and savor a taste of what they have to offer.

Life could be tweaked a little to better suit me but I ain't complaining. Compared to how most humans on this planet live I've got it far better than 99+% of those living today or those who've ever lived - in all of human history. It's a wonderful time to be alive in this great land of ours.

talldragon

September 7, 2012, 06:13 PM

Life could be tweaked a little to better suit me but I ain't complaining. Compared to how most humans on this planet live I've got it far better than 99+% of those living today or those who've ever lived - in all of human history. It's a wonderful time to be alive in this great land of ours.
Great outlook, good attitude to have. We truly are fortunate here in the USA :D.

Mosbyranger

September 7, 2012, 06:34 PM

Native Texan, expat now. Lived in upstate New York and Chicago and then Denver growing up (Dad was a UAL Pilot). Now domiciled in western Colorado, since 1980. Good firearms laws, outstanding elk hunting, trout fishing and mild weather. I see no reason to leave Colorado. I see every reason to stay.
MR

Stantdm

September 7, 2012, 09:37 PM

My wife and I live in Western South Dakota. We moved here from a big city in Colorado when I retired and bought a farm. I live here because its a good place to be in these times. A rural lifestyle fits me fine. There are Deer and Turkey on my farm. Antelope and Elk are not far away nor are sharptails, huns, and pheasants. Most of the people are laid back and easy going. Its conservative in both its political views and its social views. We are close to Montana and Wyoming and can be on the Big Horn in just a few hours.

DesertFox

September 8, 2012, 10:14 AM

Where is TBD?
Montana is TBD for now.

blakec3686

September 8, 2012, 12:09 PM

I live in the Twin Falls area of Idaho...moved here from San Diego to be closer to my father and i know one thing....I AINT goin back lol

Tinker

September 8, 2012, 07:15 PM

I am fine with people having a negative view of the South. You are absolutely correct, stay where you are. It is much better there.

God Bless James Dickey and his "scarecrow", Deliverance. Forty years later, it is still working it's magic. :D Talk about a piece of genius craftsmanship.

Now, if we can abolish air conditioning, things will be back to normal.

Zeeemu

September 9, 2012, 10:00 AM

"Now, if we can abolish air conditioning, things will be back to normal."

I love the south, spent three years at Maxwell AFB in Montgomery without air conditioning - more than 50 years ago. Summers were fine and long but infrequent Winter snowy streets that became iced over were hilarious - and more than a bit scary.

Traffic in town looked like the Keystone Kops. People spinning their tires trying to gain momentum while at the next stoplight all locking their brakes and sliding into each other. I quickly learned to stay on base during such events. I wonder if driving habits have changed much? :what:

bikerdoc

September 9, 2012, 11:16 AM

I wonder if driving habits have changed much?

:) nope!

A little infrequent snow will close the state down in a Govenor declared state of emergency, call out the National Gaurd and close schools.
I make a ton of money pulling people out ditches, with my truck.
Grocery shelves get emptied.
And it it all melts by noon the day:)

OilyPablo

September 9, 2012, 11:39 AM

Born in So Cal (Fullerton - Orange County). There used to be an outdoor range there where my dad would take us to plink.

Left for Oregon when I got my first job. Lived there - in Grants Pass. Great places to shoot. Then headed on up to WA state for the last 25 years or so, have moved around a bit. Great weather, great outdoors, clean air. Liberal lunacy area, but don't come after our guns and not like CA in that one regard!

michiganfan

September 9, 2012, 02:58 PM

Folks, like a ton of my uncles and wives, came up from Arkansas when I was three(1950). Dad worked GM 30 years. I went to U of M. Then passed michigan bar and been here since. Daughter is now senior at U of M. Go Blue.

jrdolall

September 9, 2012, 08:13 PM

Summers were fine and long but infrequent Winter snowy streets that became iced over were hilarious - and more than a bit scary.

You must have been one tough SOB if Summers were fine in Montgomery. I have a $600 power bill in the Summer because I prefer to keep the internal temp below 80. It was cool last night and today barely got to 90 but I left my truck out in the sun and the internal temp was 104 this afternoon. In my lifertime we have one significant snow event that lasted more than two days and that was back in 1972 or so when we got 14 inches in March. We shut down schools if there is a threat of snow or ice because we have no equipment to deal with it. You can't even buy hot dog buns if the forecast calls for snow as the grocery stores empty out completely.
U of M. Go Blue. Uh.... Roll Tide!

Zeeemu

September 9, 2012, 11:00 PM

"You must have been one tough SOB if Summers were fine in Montgomery."

Nope, not that tough but I was only 20 years young then and long hot Summers were a treat compared to Missouri ice storm Winters.

Besides, air conditioning wasn't an option. These days, Summers without AC would be miserable. How soft I've become. ;)

mdauben

September 11, 2012, 12:23 PM

I currently live in northern Alabama. I was originally from the Chicago metro area and had lived there all my life, until a job offer from AL got me to move. That was over 10 years ago, and you could not pay me to move back. I love the outdoor opportunities around here, the weather, the people, and the freedom from Chicago politics that taints the whole state of IL.

Sound Dude

September 12, 2012, 09:27 AM

I currently live the Phoenix metro area (East Valley).
Grew up in Southern Calif. The day I graduated college, I moved to AZ. Moved to Tucson in the late 70's and loved it there. Perfect sized town. I love the desert environment, and even our hot summers. Moved to Brisbane, Australia in '83 just for grins (I have the Oz equivalent of a green card). Moved back to US in 1990, when it was getting too expensive to raise a family in Australia with the objective of going back to Tucson. However the job I found was in Tempe, so we settled here. I didn't want to be moving the kids around, so we stayed. I don't like how huge and crowded the area has become, and would prefer a medium sized town, but the house is paid, our friends are here, etc. etc. Life catches up with you. I don't think I'd ever not live in the desert. Every time I go to SoCal for work, I'm so glad I left! Not for me.

007xd9

September 12, 2012, 10:32 AM

I live in Texas because of the business friendly law makers, the people are great and the conservative values in MOST of the state. Also there is not state income tax, the huge diversity in the terrain, and the weather is awesome most of the time.

007xd9

September 12, 2012, 10:35 AM

Dallas Texas, see above.

Double_J

September 12, 2012, 08:50 PM

Southern Georgia for now due to the job. Nice area, and I am only 30 minutes from Jacksonville Florida, and 2 hours from Savannah. I am originally from south Mississippi, so long hot summers are a normal thing for me. I enjoy the laid back culture of the south, and the fishing and hunting opportunities that avail.

LeontheProfessional

September 12, 2012, 08:56 PM

VA where OC is legal and out right has probably the best gun laws in the country. Not to mention my CCP is valid in most adjacent states (DC and Maryland excluded)

WALKERs210

September 13, 2012, 01:09 AM

In 1966 at the ripe old age of 17 I walked out the back door of my mothers house, caught a bus going to Montgomery, Al and enlisted in the Navy. Swore to God above that I would never return to the little one horse town I grew up in. 1975 I cam back to Alabama, same one horse town and all, wound up buying my mothers house from her and raised my 3 kids there. I know just about all LEO's that matte, a few lawyers, one or two Dr's, and several real decent gun shops that treat me right. When I was around 10 or so it was not unusual to see a group of boys with 22 cal rifle, single shot shotgun. I wanted to be in a place that as close to Mayberry as possible and I think I found it. Heat and humitidy can still make me grumble but its better that shoveling 2 ft of snow. Laws here leans more to the rights of the victim rather pattin a BG on the shoulder and say aaww its gonna be alright. BG's here have sliped and stumbled while trying to simpliy sit down in back seat of a car.

TrailWolf

September 13, 2012, 02:05 AM

Moved from Manhattan NYC to Scottsdale, AZ.

My wife's job offered her a hefty promotion if we relocated.

I miss the city at times, but overall could not be happier to be out of that area - much safer here and the GUN LAWS RULE!!! Day after I landed I got my AZ drivers license and my first Glock :)

We are also newly married and felt that AZ would be a much better environment to raise kids in than NYC.

Alaska444

September 13, 2012, 02:47 AM

I missed being born in Alaska by about 30 days, after 10 years, ME, then MA, NY state, PA, MA, CO, CA and now Northern Idaho. Many ways that northern ID is much like the Anchorage area with one notable exception, NO MOSQUITOES!!:neener:

sheepdog on duty

September 14, 2012, 03:45 AM

Raised in the Florida panhandle about a mile from the Alabama line. Moved to Birmingham after a stint in Iraq and have been in the area ever since. Alabama is my home and probably always will be.

blarby

September 15, 2012, 07:04 PM

The semi-forests of Oregon.

The gun laws are great, I find new shooting spots every week, and the town I live in has less than 6k people.

Its the last stop before living in a town of no people- my own land.

Serenity

September 17, 2012, 02:18 AM

Born in Alaska; left when I was 17 and never looked back.

I have lived in the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse region of WA/ID since 1992.

Our weather is very similar to up in Northern Idaho (four distinct seasons) where you guys were discussing, except our summers are hotter and drier. Our temps hover around freezing most of the winter, we freeze and thaw a lot. But we have gotten cold snaps from the North with temps well below zero, even into the teens. And one low a few years back of -26. I was pretty ticked about that because I left Alaska because it was so danged COLD. I froze the first 17 years of my life!

The Boy will graduate in a couple of years which I guess would open up our options (job outlook is bright), but I sure can't think of anywhere else I would rather live.

Hondo 60

September 22, 2012, 02:03 AM

Was born & raised in God's country.
Crime is near non-existant.
The last murder was about 10 years ago.
We finally have Shall-Issue & Lotsa cow dung to shoot at - LOL.

Although I would like a house just south of Phoenix for the winter. ;)

HOWARD J

September 26, 2012, 01:32 PM

I have not lived in Detriot for many years---- I always had the feeling that I was living in a shooting range--------------:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

IMTHDUKE

September 26, 2012, 07:35 PM

I have lived in two foreign countries in my life....Vietnam and New Jersey.

I have lived in Texas for 27 years and love that country. I could go back there.

I now live in Sweet home Alabama the place of my birth and will be the place of my death. It is like Texas...a free thinking people state, few regulations state and a friendly neighborly state.

Example: To get a CC, you go to the sheriff office they run a check and you leave with a permit if you are not a felon.

Nobody ask why you want a suppressor....the sheriff just signs off on it while he eats his lunch....literally.

Sinus Infection

September 27, 2012, 05:14 AM

I live in Paramaribo, Suriname (South America). I have also lived in Europe for a while but am in Suriname now because my parents (who live here) are elderly and I help take care of them. And on another level of choice...city or suburbs..I have lived in both but I prefer the suburbs because I like having a garden (listening to the sound of birds, looking at butterflies) and the tranquility. I hope this contributes to your reflection.
Have a great day

Warners

September 28, 2012, 11:26 AM

Born in Chicago.

My girlfriend - soon to be fiance lived in Chicago suburns and her job was at O'Hare airport. Illinois State Veteran's Scholarship, along with VEAP allowed me to go to Illinois state schools and completely covered my education. So those were two reasons I came back to Illinois after the Army.

I've worked for Chicago-based Fortune 500 companies since college.

I have heard diatribes from people who claim that people who live in Illinois value the rich restaraunt culture, sports teams, museums and entertainment more than they value their Second Amendment rights. And those people advocate an exodus out of Illinois as the only way to deal with the anti-2A politics.

Illinois is one of the most politicaly corrupt states (if not THE most politicaly corrupt), and the democratic process is completely subverted by the structure and rules of the Illinois General Assembly, which is controlled by the corrupt Chicago political machine. This is how 99% of the state is controlled by 1% of the state, this why Illinois is the only state not to have a CCW law despite the fact that a majority of citizens - even a majority of citizens in Chicago and Cook County - favor concealed carry. And this is why Chicago and Illinois is at the forefront of much of the 2A judiciary proceedings. The state is ruled by anti-gun demagogues who, because of the corrupt political system, have political immunity from their actions.

I have children now in the school system and aging parents who need my help, and I simply cannot move out of state.

On IllinoisCarry and TheFiring Line - I heard from a lot of people who would rant that leaving Illinois was the only way to teach the corrupt politicians a lesson. I've been fighting for gun rights in Illinois since 1987. For many years the battle was about stopping even stricter laws from being enacted. But slowly, the tide has turned and instead of simply being on the defensive - we were able to introduce pro-2A laws.

McDonald made a huge difference. We re-introduced a CCW bill this year but lost again when the Speaker of the House Michael Madigan tied the legislation up in rules committee and prevented it from coming to a vote.

The combined cases of Moore & Shepard are currently before the 7th Circuit and we are hoping for a favorable ruling before August 9th.

I really can't move out of Illinois, but I don't think I would anyway.

I don't know how many more guns I could have purchased with the amount of money I've given to political candidates running against the anti-gunners in this state, or how much more ammo I could have purchased. Besides McDonald, I've been on the losing side of this battle for 15 years but we are going to win this fight.
As a fellow Illinois resident who shares your views and concerns, I just want to say "Thank You!"

Warner

Kynoch

September 29, 2012, 09:04 AM

The Central Coast of California. Because I'm extremely fortunate.

buddyemily

September 29, 2012, 10:37 AM

I live in Texas because its the farthest point from all the liberals on the left and east coast.

RustHunter87

September 29, 2012, 11:05 AM

MAINE - born here and ill bee here till i find some place better (further north)

boricua

September 29, 2012, 12:08 PM

LOL!
lived on the island of puerto rico till i got drafted... ended up in alaska after orders to go to vietnam got cancel... so ended my military term of 23 months and 15 days or so, they shipped me back to the island to be discharged...spent a month in the island and came back up to alaska ...been here since 73... little town called north pole:-)

Reloadron

September 29, 2012, 01:45 PM

LOL!
lived on the island of puerto rico till i got drafted... ended up in alaska after orders to go to vietnam got cancel... so ended my military term of 23 months and 15 days or so, they shipped me back to the island to be discharged...spent a month in the island and came back up to alaska ...been here since 73... little town called north pole:-)
North Pole, Alaska. That is where would send the grand children's Christmas letters from Santa so they would have that North Pole post office postmark. I always enjoyed my trips to Alaska, been years but looking out an aircraft window was mesmerizing. Absolute splendid beauty.

Ron

Kynoch

September 29, 2012, 05:13 PM

Moved from Manhattan NYC to Scottsdale, AZ.

My wife's job offered her a hefty promotion if we relocated.

I miss the city at times, but overall could not be happier to be out of that area - much safer here and the GUN LAWS RULE!!! Day after I landed I got my AZ drivers license and my first Glock :)

We are also newly married and felt that AZ would be a much better environment to raise kids in than NYC.
Wow, that is a HUGE change!

Huge number of pluses and minuses living in NYC. Great jobs. Awesome schools from pre-school to post graduate school. The churches, the libraries, the museums, the different performing arts centers, the theaters, the sporting venues, the shopping, the food, the hospitals, etc. Taking a power-walk along Central Park is one of life's most wonderful freebies. It has even become quite safe to live in NYC. Amazing what 50-60K cops can do to a city

On the other hand rent/mortgages are oppressive and the general cost of living is higher than anywhere else in the USA with the possible exception of San Francisco.

Drue

September 29, 2012, 07:15 PM

I was borne and raised in New Orleans and have lived here all of my life except for a brief period after Katrina. I went to Tulane and have worked here since. I have belonged to the same range since the 1970's.I still drink Dixie beer even though is has been made in Wisconsin since Katrina wiped out the brewery.

Home is where the heart is.

Drue

mquail

September 30, 2012, 12:55 AM

I was born at Walter Reed Army Hosp. in DC and raised in Alexandria, VA. Went into the USAF through Ft Holabird in Baltimore, got my Degree from OSU at Corvallis OR then settled down in SD. We bought land N of Ft. Pierre SD and plan on building our retirement home where it overlooks the lake.

Why do I live here? I've toyed with moving to other places but, so far, SD still looks good to me.

WoofersInc

September 30, 2012, 01:47 AM

I grew up in S. Cal. Newport Beach to be more precise. Started getting more and more fed up with the Cali issues and when my wife wanted to go to Nevada to be near her Mom I jumped at the chance. Been here 10 years now and love it. Good firearms laws. Once outside the Vegas Valley it is pretty much open desert and mountains for the rest of the state.

Hunter125

September 30, 2012, 03:13 AM

Born and raised in central IN and never knew how good I had it. Came to IL for college, met & married my wife, an IL resident, moved to IL when we got married.
I guess you could say I was heavily indoctrinated in gun culture 1.0 growing up, came into gun culture 2.0 after being married. Also began to pay attention to politics a bit more. That's when I realized how great IN really was.
My wife and I are both working on our grad degrees here in IL and as I type am in the hospital with our 2nd born Fri, but we both want to move back to IN.
I am not one of those who think the only solution is to get out of IL, I will fight for our rights while I'm here, but IN is still a much better state and I feel a better place to raise a family.
FWIW, her folks have been desperately wanting to move to IN as well.
Crazy comparing IN which is not in debt, very gun friendly, to IL which is corrupt, in the tank, and one of the most gun unfriendly states in the US. FOID card required to buy ammo and pellet guns? Absolutely ridiculous.

jim in Anchorage

October 5, 2012, 12:56 AM

FOID card to purchase a pellet gun? I had no idea it was that bad there.

Nushif

October 5, 2012, 04:58 AM

Oh man, I lived around Heidelberg, Germany, on the economy for the first 17 years of my life, then we moved to NH for a bit. Northfield, to be exact, where I signed up for Active Duty with the USAF ... Moved first to Texas, then to ... Texas, then to DE.
From DE I moved back to NH for about a month when a friend of mine said that OR is the place to be. Haven't left OR with any intent to stay away since then.

I have been a lot of places, and if someone were to hold a gun to my head and had me pick a 50 mile radius for the rest of my life it'd be Lanzarote or Corvallis, OR.

Not because of firearms or because of politics, but because of the culture. I hate the hustle and bustle and the "keeping up with the Jones' crap." I think at times I make a truly terrible capitalist at heart. 8)

Right now I am applying for an Operations Officer job with the Virgin Islands National Guard. 8)

Hunter125

October 6, 2012, 04:31 PM

FOID card to purchase a pellet gun? I had no idea it was that bad there.

Not sure about things like a Daisy BB gun, but for a higher end break action pellet gun it is required.

r1derbike

October 7, 2012, 12:03 AM

I live in northwest Arkansas. Spent some time in Annapolis and Hagerstown, MD, had my fill of D.C. and Baltimore. Full-circle. Good to be back.

MSarge

October 7, 2012, 12:07 AM

I live in SE KS in a county that has a total population of 2000. The largest town in the county has about 800 folks. I live at the south end of a town that has around 90 folks. Whatever gun laws there are in KS, we don't pay any attention to them here.

Clayton86

October 7, 2012, 02:40 AM

there seems to be a lot of New Yorkers on here and we all want the same thing...to get the hell out lol.

I was born and raised in WNY Lyndonville to be exact its a small little town smack dab between Buffalo and Rochester and right on lake Ontario. I'v lived there my whole life worth the exception of college in CT and Deployments but I don't really count either as I ended up back in my home town where cows outnumber people 3 to 1. I married a girl from my home town we've been married for 4 years this month and have 2 little boys. I love the area for the fact I have some world class trout and salmon streams in my back yard Oak Orchard river and Johnsons creek, Big bodied and antlered deer from the miles and miles of corn and soybeans, lots of big coyotes and fox, and big bass for northern strain and big ole pike and walleye as well.

How ever there are no jobs what so ever here some how I made 12k a year support a wife and 2 kids cost me some of my guns and toys but mans gotta do what a mans gotta do. We plan on moving to Texas after I return stateside from this deployment been saving up with the goal of getting out of NY and down south or the mid west preferably Texas though. I would love to move to Alaska but I hate winter especially after being in this Persian gulf(Kuwait) heat for over a year and there's no bass fishing in Alaska.

45lcshooter

October 7, 2012, 07:51 AM

Moved back to where my parents grew up because the grandparents are getting older, and we are a tight family. Plus its nice to be in the country, and have a 100yd rifle range out the basement door for plinking, sighting in, working on new loads. And the neighbor is from DC and he has 200yd range. its also nice to walk out the back door and walk 1000ft to my ground blind for hunting. I love the woods.

Esoxchaser

October 7, 2012, 08:50 AM

Motown. Why?
1) I grew up here.
2) My family is here
3) Some of the worlds best freshwater fishing is here.
4) I actually like it here. (Well the suburbs are cool. I work in the "D" and it is a crap hole, nothing like the city I grew up in in the 60's. & 70's))

22-rimfire

October 7, 2012, 01:08 PM

I live in TN because I like the South but I also enjoy the seasons. I came here for a job.

Craig010

October 7, 2012, 06:33 PM

I'm originally from Ohio but after 24 years service in the Army landed in Arizona. I don't always agree with the state government here, but I do love the gun laws. Been here 20 years now and doubt I'll move on. ~Craig

dondavis3

October 7, 2012, 07:01 PM

I live in Texas ... Darn glad I do -

Why?? Not enough space to name all the good reasons.

:cool:

Sniper66

October 8, 2012, 12:58 PM

I was born and raised in Kansas and currently live in NE Kansas. Many parts of Kansas are low population density and great hunting. I shoot everything from squirrels on a 2600acre ranch in the NE part to p-dogs, coyotes, pheasants, doves, mule deer in the NW part. There are whitetails everywhere and lots of turkeys. It has what I treasure...lots and lots of solitude. The only sad thing is, we have lost our once abundant quail population.

swiftak

October 8, 2012, 01:29 PM

Rusthunter, I agree. The perfect retirement area is further north. And than further north of that.

grock5k

October 8, 2012, 04:28 PM

I live in Southern Maine. It's perfect! I want to go to the ocean 15 minutes I want to go to the mountains, 40 minutes. Boston is 2 hours south and miles of wilderness is 2 hours north.

IDriveB5

October 9, 2012, 03:32 PM

I live in Laurel, MD. Raised in Silver Spring, MD and I work in Rockville, MD.

Why? Well, I was born here and my family is here. Work is here, and I haven't lost my job yet during this Great Recession of ours. Thankful for that and it keeps me put. Great company.

I'd love to venture out elsewhere, maybe west or south, or both. Frankly, I'd be worried about finding steady income.

Despite the nastiness of our politics and the rat race here in the DC Metro, MD is a nice place that offers a lot, geographically speaking. There are also a lot of great things to do, with respect to the shooting sports, believe it or not. We've got something for everyone- practical rifle, 3-gun, F Class, benchrest, IDPA, CAS, everything. Its a damn shame that you have to spend damn near $600k to get a decent home in a decent neighborhood with decent schools that isn't a 4 hour commute to work.

I want to thank everyone for all the replies. This has been fascinating. Seems to me like we should all get together for a where do you live thread shooting match and barbecue.:)

And thanks to Robert and Justin for moving it here. It would been been buried where I originally put it.

medalguy

October 9, 2012, 11:08 PM

I've lived in most of the southern states at one time or another. Finally made it to Texas where I lived for about 45 years, retired and moved to New Mexico. The weather here is soooooo much better, no humidity, have 4 actual real seasons, imagine that. Fishing and hunting are great, gun laws are great, weather is great, taxes and cost of living are great, gun shows are....well, good. Lots of public land to use for whatever shooting I want to do. What's not to like?

I'm a little bit surprised, really maybe not, by all the New Yorkers and Californians who want to move. My advice to you is to find a gun-friendly place and move there. Life's way too short to live in an overly restrictive place. Get out and have some fun.

Okiegunner

October 9, 2012, 11:17 PM

I am an oil & gas landman, so I have to move around quite a bit.

Born in Oklahoma (my home and my home base is still there), worked and lived in Okla., North Dakota, Montana, Kansas, New Mexico, West Virginia, Ohio and Texas.

I currently work in Ft. Worth, TX, but commute back home to Okla. on most weekends.

Thankfully all of the states I have worked in have been reasonably "gun" friendly.

sedona

October 10, 2012, 11:11 PM

I live in Tulsa,Oklahoma.It is a pretty city and we have the wannamecher gun show twice a year.It is 11 acres of guns and i can spend all day there.The summers do get hot and humid but the winters aren't bad like the north.Unfortunately like the man from Kansas the quail numbers have really declined.I would probably live in Oregon or Utah if i didn't live here.

newfalguy101

October 10, 2012, 11:14 PM

small town in south central Nebraska, moved here from a smaller town 35 miles away just over a year ago.

Been in Nebraska since summer of 1980, cuz my parents wanted to be closer to my grandparents........least thats the "official" version of the story

Patriots & Tyrants

October 11, 2012, 01:17 PM

I live in Illinois; a little to close to Chicago for my taste but this is where I was born and where I lived for 3/4 of my life. That said I plan to move just across the border to WI or a bit further out from the city in the next 2-4 years.

I have visited a lot of places; Lived in Florida for 7 years and would go back if I could find a job that would let me maintain the same quality of life but thats not an option right now.

USAF_Vet

October 11, 2012, 04:57 PM

Born in Oklahoma, grew up in Kentucky, stationed in Japan, California, Germany and Turkey, and reside in Michigan.

I live here because it is where my family is from. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all still live here.

VPLthrneck

October 11, 2012, 11:32 PM

Born and raised in MT (about 90 miles northwest of Yellowstone NP), and grew up on the family farm and ranch there. We lived 15 miles outside of a town of 1200 people, had 2 miles of river front, and 3000 acres to run around on. At 17 I joined the Marines because I wanted adventure and to see all the exotic places that my dad and brothers saw when they were in the military. What I saw was MCRD San Diego, Camp LeJeune, NC, Okinawa, and 29 Palms, CA. Got out of the Marines in 1996 after my 4, and moved back to MT. Just in time for the job market to take a down turn.

I spent 4 years of doing alot of different jobs in both western and eastern MT, northern MN, and worked on a custom harvesting crew in SD. SD was ok, but we traveled from the Red River valley of TX/OK to far northern MT, so I got to see alot of this great country of ours! In early 2000, I joined the Navy and spent 9 years between WA and CA. With some side trips to Pensacola, Biloxi, and Japan.

When the military began a round of cutbacks a few years ago, I got out and moved to AZ for school. Because what I have chosen for my profession, the choice fell between Flagstaff and Phoenix when it came to getting a degree. I've traveled through AZ in the past and loved the contrast that this state has in its natural beauty from north to south; and also all the history here. The ultimate decision came down to which city had a community college that offered an Associates degree that would feed into my Bachelors. That decision made Phoenix my choice. Growing up it was a 30 minute drive to town. Now I live 20 minutes from work and school, a 5 minute walk from the cigar shop, and with in an hour's drive I can be at some of the best hiking spots in the Sonoran Desert! And being at the southern most edge of Phoenix, it doesn't feel like I'm living in the city.

Now that I'm down to the last few months of school, it is job searching time and even though I'd love to stay in AZ, anywhere east of CA/OR/WA and West of the Mississippi River (with a few execptions) is fine for me. I've learned that one can't compare one part of this country to other parts of it if it is going to be used to call something "ugly", "beautiful," or any other descriptor. Every place has its own uniqueness that makes it what it is. So I'm fairly content with anyplace I live.

What makes living here enjoyable is:
The Office:
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm275/VPLthrneck/IMG_0340.jpg

The Classsroom:
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm275/VPLthrneck/100_1393.jpg

And time off of course:
http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm275/VPLthrneck/100_1592.jpg

1911inAK

October 12, 2012, 03:45 AM

Fairbanks, AK. Because, well, it's Alaska!

jim in Anchorage

October 12, 2012, 03:53 AM

Fairbanks doesn't count. Seen -50 yet?:neener:

Twig

October 13, 2012, 01:00 AM

The land of sky blue water.

kBob

October 13, 2012, 03:29 PM

I live in Florida. I was raised a bit west of Tallahassee and my family is still there. SPent youthfull summers doing agricultural work and heading to Mexico Beach (Red Neck Riviera) I now live close to Gainesville as this is where I came after the service and have had no good reason to leave. Spent a year in Palatka. I do not like snow for more than a bit ( and hated when Uncle Sam made me sleep out in it) and I like humidity.

Gun laws? We don't need no stinking gun laws! Well actually there are some but the shall issue CWL is nice and no one cares about our magazine capacity except when hunting migratory birds.

Actually like many raised in my part of the state we thought the cross Florida Barge canal bondogel was a good idea until we found out we could not put jacks in the canal and push away south Florida. It is much like two diferent states.

Any adults living in the Orlando area might want to check out the Central Florida Rifle and Pistol CLub. When my wife lived down there when she was in private practice she got her range officer cap and would occassionally go shoot her guns there. There are some indoor ranges out on South Orange Blossom Trail....and may folks think you need a gun down there anyway....

-kBob

SWAMMO

October 14, 2012, 03:06 AM

Born and raised in Oregon, miss it much. Great fishing, hunting, scenary. Moved to Arizona to start a business. I like the neighborhoods in the area I live. Really do not like the summers, too hot. Lots of places to shoot in AZ, no real fishing. Would like to live in Arizona in the winter and Oregon in the summer.

Zach

Andrew Leigh

October 14, 2012, 08:55 AM

Born in Swaziland which is a Kingdom and borders South Africa to the west. Delivered in a mission hospital run by the Church of the Nazarene. Grew up on a farm but came to S.A. all to early, returned to the farm at least twice a year until the age of 16. My love for the bush and outdoors was developed here.

Parents moved to Johannesburg and surrounds so we as kids had to follow. The money is here and that is why I stay, the kids and grandkids are here that is why the wife won't consider a move. Have considered moving without her :evil: nah she is great.

If you like animals then Africa is it, can't see myself moving too far away from this prime hunting country. Would love to move due to the political instability, the crime rate and governments stated objective to disarm the public (how else will they retain power after having destroyed the country).

dondavis3

October 14, 2012, 09:01 AM

@ Andrew Leigh

"governments stated objective to disarm the public (how else will they retain power after having destroyed the country"

That's beginning to be in USA now.

I'm very worried.

:cool:

Skyshot

October 14, 2012, 09:41 AM

Dad retired out of the AirForce and wanted to move back home to East Tennessee and the mountains. I however wanted to expand my horizons, and moved off soon after high school. Moved around the country for a few years and came back to the Smokies been here since 1975 and will stay here. All the siblings are in Florida, they don't like the winters here and I don't like hot flat ground and the beach is OK for a day or two and then I've had enough.

jim in Anchorage

October 21, 2012, 01:50 AM

Born in Swaziland which is a Kingdom and borders South Africa to the west. Delivered in a mission hospital run by the Church of the Nazarene. Grew up on a farm but came to S.A. all to early, returned to the farm at least twice a year until the age of 16. My love for the bush and outdoors was developed here.

Parents moved to Johannesburg and surrounds so we as kids had to follow. The money is here and that is why I stay, the kids and grandkids are here that is why the wife won't consider a move. Have considered moving without her nah she is great.

If you like animals then Africa is it, can't see myself moving too far away from this prime hunting country. Would love to move due to the political instability, the crime rate and governments stated objective to disarm the public (how else will they retain power after having destroyed the country).

Living in Africa would be cool if they could form a decent government. It should be a paradise.

klw1911

October 23, 2012, 12:10 AM

Born in Tenn. grew up in central Fla.drafted in 71 spent two years at West Point N.Y. move back to Tenn. after service, have lived in Mich.Nev. Mo. now live in the mountains of n.e. Ga. on a beautiful fresh water mountain lake.Small town no traffic jams very little crime good gun laws.Life is good!

hso

October 23, 2012, 11:45 AM

I'm fortunate to live on the property I grew up on and am fortunate that it is in East TN.

45Frank

October 24, 2012, 11:06 AM

I live in northern California because my parents moved here when I was a child. One day, I will leave.
You have to do it man, you can't wait or it will be to late. I WASTED 42 years of my life in NJ.
My parents moved us out of the NE part of NJ to the Jersey Shore when I was 8 or ten or a better life, by the time I graduated it was just like the big city, lights every 100 yards for miles, no place to shoot, everything was crowded.
Moved to Jackson,NJ and bought acreage and after 5 years was no better, couldn't shoot or the law was there with in minutes, started my sons mini bike once and the law was there with a copy of the NEW ORDINANCE saying no motorized off road vehicles allowed, even on private property, another time I had a small barrel burning twigs, business papers and such not only did a helicopter hover over but nearly every fire truck in the township showed up. Then when my taxes hit nearly $8,000.00 per year and we had septic, well, no side walks and a half paved road I knew it was time to go.
Sold everything I had, shut my business and me and the kids headed out looking for a new home. We settled her in the Western Part of NC. I can sit on my deck and never see anyone go by but one neighbor, I can shoot off my deck, and can open carry and not have swat called, I can carry concealed and only wait 3-4 weeks for a permit, now don't even have to wait for a pistol permit. My taxes for the year are what I paid in 2 weeks in the NE. Now I wonder why I waited so darned long.
Just do it and don't look back!

tdstout

October 24, 2012, 12:23 PM

Southeast Oklahoma, born and raised here. Probably be here when I die.

Queen_of_Thunder

October 24, 2012, 09:55 PM

Raised in central kentucky and ended up in west Texas due to the military. No better. place than Southern New Mexico or West Texas. Hot and dry. Can shoot and golf year round in shorts. Skiing is just a few hours up the road.

wrs840

October 24, 2012, 10:20 PM

45Frank:

Everything you said about Western NC is absolutely false.

Stop spreading such misinformation.

Besides, the bulk of the Northeast, Illinois, Michigan, and California employ public policy that is so special I think we need to admit we've benefited enough from their generosity and let them keep the balance of their uniquely special wonderfulness for themselves. It's only fair to admit out limitations.

Shinbone

October 27, 2012, 02:55 PM

Just came from a week at Asheville, NC. Lovely place and awesome people. True southern hospitality in every way!
We have picked up a new word to use; y'all.
My wife said, "It would be so easy to become "southern." And she meant that as a compliment, of course.

shootstraight57

October 27, 2012, 04:02 PM

Born and raised in N.J and couldn't wait to get out of the rat race and gun control. Moved to Pa where the CCW's are fairly easy to get. Shooting was not a problem, just go out back and shoot. Moved to Florida 10 years ago and have still been carrying ever since. We have a private range here so training is not a problem.

SammyIamToday

October 28, 2012, 04:12 PM

Born and raised on a farm in central Kentucky. Marines took me all over (Best part: Hawaii, Worst part: Afghanistan).

Got out, went back to Kentucky worked a few years. An oil company made me an offer I couldn't refuse and earlier this year I moved my family to Oklahoma. Really love it here even though it's terrifyingly flat. And insane hot.

I'll probably end up retiring to Montana or Wyoming. Literally can't wait to get back to a farm in the middle of nowhere.

Delford

October 29, 2012, 11:18 PM

Charlotte NC is a city trying to be "World Class". It has some great community leaders who work together to get charitable work done. We have several wealthy families who are outstanding in providing funding for arts, culture and social concerns.

We have had a large influx of new residents most of whom are civil and try to adapt to the culture and mores of their new city. Many of the suburbs in surrounding counties contain a large population of sportsmen who hunt and fish and love the outdoors and women who are likely to call you "honey" or "sugar" or "darlin'" at the greek owned meat and 2 veggies restaurants and at the fish camp restaurants. A fish camp down here means fried flounder & shrimp mostly, and tea, which is sweet enough to use as syrup and not powdered or unsweetened.

I moved here in 1974 to work at PTL for 15 years, until Jim lost the vision and made mistakes from taking bad advice. I've married and raised two great children of whom I'm very proud. My daughter is a girlie girl who can shoot a 20 ga but not well and my son can handle a 12 ga and a variety of handguns but likes 22lr in pistols and rifles the most. I didn't begin shooting until after age 60 when I got my CC permit at the encouragement of friends. I can hit what I aim at with my Ruger P345, usually within 2 inches or better of each other on a double tap. Sometimes the double tap hits what I'm aiming at. :) A new lens after cataract surgery has been a challenge but practice continues as the eyes adjust. The wife's family farms a county over provide several good places to shoot when the weather is favorable. God is good and life's challenges show the faithfulness of my Father.

Jaxondog

October 30, 2012, 06:06 PM

Born in the piedmont of North Carolina. It's been ok but I would rather be in Panama City eating Oyster's and shark fishing on the front bumper of the Jeep.

Stuck in Norcal. Born and Raised. Like to leave some day but so much holding me here. It's not that bad if you don't watch the news lol

CWL

November 2, 2012, 03:24 PM

Silicon Valley, CA. Lived in multiple cities from San Francisco to San Jose, but "Silicon Valley" best describes the location & lifestyle.

Not just for the job, but this is my home.

Traveled and worked-in exactly 30 countries plus all over USA, but Silicon Valley will always be my home.

TrafficTech

November 3, 2012, 02:01 PM

Born and raised in Central Florida.
Never seen snow except on TV. Have no desire to live anywhere its colder outside than in my fridge..lol

Steve H

November 3, 2012, 02:12 PM

Born, raised, workd and lived in Southern California until 1995 got out of there and moved to the mountains of Southern Utah. Great gun laws, good hunting and fishing plus this is my front yard.....

Harley Rider 55

November 4, 2012, 09:47 AM

In live in the suburbs of Ft Worth. I retired from the city and am still here to help my 84 year old mother. When she's gone, I'm going back to the Florida Keys. I'm not a deer hunter so the Keys will not stop my type of hunting: large predators and my bucket list must have, African Safari.

The_Armed_Therapist

November 4, 2012, 03:27 PM

As a kid, birth to 18, I lived in Pennsylvania (Altoona), North Carolina (N. of Goldsboro), and Florida (b/t Tampa and St. Pete). I also spend considerable time in Virginia (Manassas area), and in New York (S. Buffalo).

While this is all far too complex to fully explain, I'm in Akron to finish my graduate work. Wife and I chose Akron because of their Family Therapy program, and because it's 4-5 hours from the bulk of our families, mine in Altoona, PA, and hers in Midland, MI. I anticipate moving to Michigan in the near future.

There is no doubt that I like the west better than the east. I love the desert climate, the rocky mountains, and the more favorable gun laws. As much as I love that stuff, though, we have virtually no family in the west, and I like the east for that reason. In a perfect world, I'd be in rural AZ, NM, WY, ID, MT, NV, or AK.

Owen Sparks

November 4, 2012, 08:54 PM

I was born on a military base in Germany (still a U.S. citizen) but now live in North Carolina near Lake Junaluska.

Actually wanted to move to southern Kentucky at retirement, but the wife wasn't having any. Moving to a more rural area of Michigan and she's fine with that. Family has kept us here, mostly. My wife's illness has much to do with that. Michigan's gun laws aren't bad, but we must remain vigilant and keep up grass roots efforts, or we are doomed to failure in this regard. Most high-ranking LE are anti-gun here, making it best to have a pro-gun AG, which we now have. Governor has been warned, as his tendencies are spotty at best.

jj1962hemi

November 4, 2012, 09:27 PM

I was born in Chicago and lived their for twenty years. The City really once was great. I've been in the far suburbs for more than twenty years now, and wonder where I'll wind up. I have two daughters my wife and I are close with, both of whom are in their late teens. I have a close family and wonder if we'll leave or not. We have lots of family in SE Wisconsin so, Madison and Milwaukee libs aside, I could see myself there.

49north

November 5, 2012, 02:46 AM

Native of San Diego who left twenty years past to raise his family in NE WA.
Very BFE and quiet with no close neighbors adjoining thousands of acres of public lands.

walgetty

December 2, 2012, 09:04 PM

Born and raised in Lexington, KY. Still in the central Ky area. Made a trip while in the Navy to Orlando, Chicago, San Diego and lots of points west.:)
I shoot at a sportsman club 6 miles from my home. I can shoot about anything I want there. Most times I have the range to myself during the week and I can shoot whatever/however I want. I can own any firearm I choose. A C&R license helps too !

jj1962hemi

December 2, 2012, 09:25 PM

One of my girls is thinking about going to Centre College in Danville. I've been to Russell Springs fishing Lake Cumberland each of the last 11 years and have really grown to appreciate the area. If my girl meets a Kentuckian and wants to live out that way.....who knows?

jim in Anchorage

April 15, 2013, 12:47 AM

bump

kyhunter

April 15, 2013, 06:18 AM

Lived around mammoth cave Kentucky my whole life. Not planning on leaving any time soon. Its nice and peaceful the way we like it.

Beach Nut

April 15, 2013, 10:41 AM

I am a North Carolina native, I was born in Raleigh and I have lived in Wake
County most of my life. I grew up on a small farm in Wake County when it
was much smaller in population, everyone around you spoke with a Southern
accent and you actually knew all of your neighbors.

Wake County is now congested, traffic is bad and getting worse everyday,
and you have to do a lot of searching to hear anyone that speaks with that
melodic Southern drawl I used to hear when I was younger. If it wasn't for
my job I would have moved years ago to somewhere like Wilson County where
my father grew up and you can still find areas without bumper to bumper
traffic and cookie cutter subdivisions. I have nothing against the transplants
that move here as long as they leave their liberal politics behind but I miss the
freedom to move around without being elbow to elbow with someone and the
natural beauty that I used to enjoy. The cost of living is still reasonable but
it is getting higher as my home county grows and things are only going to get
worse. I'm going to eventually pull up stakes and let the newcomers have the
mess they are creating. I'll probably stay in North Carolina and move towards
the Eastern part of my native state. (not the coast however, the transplants are
moving there in droves too)

rio nueces

April 15, 2013, 04:19 PM

I am a North Carolina native, I was born in Raleigh and I have lived in Wake
County most of my life. I grew up on a small farm in Wake County when it
was much smaller in population, everyone around you spoke with a Southern
accent and you actually knew all of your neighbors.

Wake County is now congested, traffic is bad and getting worse everyday,
and you have to do a lot of searching to hear anyone that speaks with that
melodic Southern drawl I used to hear when I was younger. If it wasn't for
my job I would have moved years ago to somewhere like Wilson County where
my father grew up and you can still find areas without bumper to bumper
traffic and cookie cutter subdivisions. I have nothing against the transplants
that move here as long as they leave their liberal politics behind but I miss the
freedom to move around without being elbow to elbow with someone and the
natural beauty that I used to enjoy. The cost of living is still reasonable but
it is getting higher as my home county grows and things are only going to get
worse. I'm going to eventually pull up stakes and let the newcomers have the
mess they are creating. I'll probably stay in North Carolina and move towards
the Eastern part of my native state. (not the coast however, the transplants are
moving there in droves too)
Go easy on the "transplants". They're more than likely good folks like you, but pushed out of a formerly nice place due to overcrowding from illegal immigrants and/or greedy real estate developers in cahoots with crooked local politicians. And they are also like you in that they are looking for a better place to retire or maybe raise their kids. Judge them individually by their actions, don't condemn them all indiscriminately.
I live in Houston, I've seen first hand how good neighborhoods can be destroyed due to lawlessness and greed.

rem44m

April 15, 2013, 07:36 PM

Utah, born and raised.

Love the mountains
Love the people and their conservative values
Love the gun laws.

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